The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenge of conveying complexity and uncertainty to citizens, and showing that such communication cannot disregard the central role played by online platforms in the public debate. Designed to maximise users' activity and deliver targeted advertising, social media transformed the information landscape and have rapidly become the main news source for many of their users. Information spreads faster and farther online, in a flow-through system where users have immediate access to unlimited content. This may facilitate the proliferation of misinformation, generating chaos and limiting access to correct information. This talk we provide an overview of how social dynamics and behavioural patterns can be investigated and analysed with online data, and discuss how data-driven insights can be used to design effective strategies to counter misinformation and promote a healthy information system.
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