Episode 3: Disinformation and vaccines with Dr. Adam Ratner

Send us Fan MailSYNOPSISRachel and Dan talk to Dr. Adam Ratner, author of the new book Booster Shots, about the misinformation he encounters as a pediatric infectious disease specialist. We discuss the distinctions between vaccine hesitancy and being anti-vax, and how misinformation has an impact beyond individual healthcare. Dan uses the discussion to highlight a new “lens” called double-tagging, and Rachel is inspired to establish the lens “frenzy.”__________STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONThe Fifth ColumnRachel describes how the US used the fictional threat of a “fifth column” to bolster their argument for Japanese internment camps.A Brief History of Japanese American Relocation During World War II (National Park Service)How a Public Media Campaign Led to Japanese Incarceration during WWII (GBH - American Experience)Of Spies and G-Men: How the U.S. Government Turned Japanese Americans into Enemies of the State (densho.org)Reciprocal TariffsDan highlights some of the more subtle and insidious misinformation about Trump’s tariffs.Trade deficits and truth deficits (Julian Sanchez)PBS interview of Justin WolfersJake Tapper interview of Ag secretary Rollins__________INTERVIEW WITH DR ADAM RATNERDr. Adam RatnerAdam’s book: Booster Shots: The Urgent Lesson of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children’s Health2019 measles outbreak in New York City (New England Journal of Medicine)Brooklyn measles outbreak: How a glossy booklet spread anti-vaccine messages in Orthodox Jewish communities (NBC News)__________LENSESDouble-taggingSeemingly innocuous labels can be turned into misinformation by applying them in a way that is technically accurate, but twists the meaning of the label. Tagging anti-vax information with the label “vaccines” is misleading, and undermines the integrity of the system.How might tags and classification schemes be co-opted to threaten the system’s integrity?How does the system’s classification scheme adapt to deal with neutral terms that have become loaded?FrenzyInformation systems have a responsibility to help users understand what’s truly important and/or urgent. Systems must avoid contributing to the frenzy of information.How does the system help participants prioritize without causing a frenzy of information? How does the system help participants feel calm and informed?_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design