Alternate Facts: Causes and Implications of the Information Pandemic

In these pandemic years, misinformation and information pollution (infodemic) have become significant concerns for policymakers and information industries. ‘Alternate facts’ is a politically divisive hot-button issue that baffles scholars, especially communication and information experts. In this context, an assumption often goes unchallenged is the nature of information and the criteria for identifying facts. This article will review the current debate on alternate facts and misinformation and argue that scholars do not adequately recognize the subjective component of what we assume to be objective information., Data-driven findings developed through the widely accepted ‘scientific method’ are not without an interpretative dimension. As scholars, we often fail to recognize the political, ideological, and cultural biases that shape and distort what we deem undisputed truths. No doubt, pandemic-related misinformation is a threat to public health. Malicious actors do peddle falsehoods to obtain political and economic gains. However, the article argues that we, the scientific community, are also partly to blame for the public’s loss of trust in science and the consequent infodemic.