The science of X
As the world faces existential problems such as pandemics and climate change, Australian scientists are facing a dilemma about the best way to connect with the wider public.
A survey of more than 100 scientists conducted by Cosmos and the Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC) sought to learn how scientists in Australia and New Zealand were using social media a year after Elon Musk shifted the digital landscape through his US$40bn purchase of Twitter (now called X).
Although X has typically been seen as the platform of choice to share material online, all scientists surveyed who use social media professionally maintain a LinkedIn account.
About 45% of those who use the career-focused social media platform do so at least once a week. This compares to 70% of scientists surveyed who use X for professional purposes, and of those just 40% use it at least once a week.
Many researchers with valuable insights are leaving one social media platform but are uncertain where to connect with the public amid what they perceive as an increase in fake news and misinformation.
A survey conducted by Cosmos and the Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC) sought to learn how scientists in Australia and New Zealand were using social media a year after Elon Musk shifted the digital landscape through his US$40bn purchase of Twitter (now called X).
More than 100 scientists participated in the survey. While preliminary, it found most who used X had either reduced or ended their participation on that platform.
And although X has typically been seen as the platform of choice to share material online, all scientists surveyed who use social media professionally maintain a LinkedIn account. About 45% of those who use the career-focused social media platform do so at least once a week. This compares to 70% of scientists surveyed who use X for professional purposes, and of those just 40% use it at least once a week.
Among other findings around the use of social media accounts by scientists, the survey highlighted that most scientists operate social media to connect with peers and colleagues, and to engage with the public.
About 75% of those with an X account had reduced their usage or stopped using the platform entirely in the past year, while more than 25% had increased their use of LinkedIn.
Around 62% had been subject to good-faith criticism on social media but 35% had been subject to abuse.
80% had witnessed fake news, misinformation or disinformation related to their area of expertise in the past year, mainly on X and Facebook, but also YouTube.
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