Study: "Censorship and Suppression of Covid-19 Heterodoxy: Tactics and Counter-Tactics"

Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 has led to numerous controversies over COVID-related knowledge and policy. To counter the perceived threat from doctors and scientists who challenge the official position of governmental and intergovernmental health authorities, some supporters of this orthodoxy have moved to censor those who promote dissenting views. The aim of the present study is to explore the experiences and responses of highly accomplished doctors and research scientists from different countries who have been targets of suppression and/or censorship following their publications and statements in relation to COVID-19 that challenge official views. Our findings point to the central role played by media organizations, and especially by information technology companies, in attempting to stifle debate over COVID-19 policy and measures. In the effort to silence alternative voices, widespread use was made not only of censorship, but of tactics of suppression that damaged the reputations and careers of dissenting doctors and scientists, regardless of their academic or medical status and regardless of their stature prior to expressing a contrary position. In place of open and fair discussion, censorship and suppression of scientific dissent has deleterious and far-reaching implications for medicine, science, and public health.

link.springer.com/article/10.1

@post Wow, this is exactly what happened with climate change. No scientific dissent allowed. :)

@hasmis

Yes. Literally impossible for a skeptical¹ person to being convinced because the vast majority of people have accepted everything passively and therefore do not know how to argue.

[1]: skeptical in its orginal meaning of "who is in search", not only doubting (from Ancient Greek σκέψις / sképsis = research).

@post The start of all this is rather sordid. When illustrious people said there was no physics in the 'carbon thermal blanket hypothesis' they were personally attacked and their livelihoods destroyed. And now covid. With both, you can say there is no physics, and that's scientific dissent. It's the new way of enriching the influencers.

Follow

@post And when I write my new book "Harried", I'll name names. :)

Sign in to participate in the conversation
Qoto Mastodon

QOTO: Question Others to Teach Ourselves
An inclusive, Academic Freedom, instance
All cultures welcome.
Hate speech and harassment strictly forbidden.