Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Unit for High Impact Events Preparedness, Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, World Health Organization, Genève, Switzerland.
JMIR Infodemiology. 2024 Aug 29;4:e56307. doi: 10.2196/56307.
During health emergencies, effective infodemic management has become a paramount challenge. A new era marked by a rapidly changing information ecosystem, combined with the widespread dissemination of misinformation and disinformation, has magnified the complexity of the issue. For infodemic management measures to be effective, acceptable, and trustworthy, a robust framework of ethical considerations is needed.
This systematic scoping review aims to identify and analyze ethical considerations and procedural principles relevant to infodemic management, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of these practices and increasing trust in stakeholders performing infodemic management practices with the goal of safeguarding public health.
The review involved a comprehensive examination of the literature related to ethical considerations in infodemic management from 2002 to 2022, drawing from publications in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Policy documents and relevant material were included in the search strategy. Papers were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria, and core thematic areas were systematically identified and categorized following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. We analyzed the literature to identify substantive ethical principles that were crucial for guiding actions in the realms of infodemic management and social listening, as well as related procedural ethical principles. In this review, we consider ethical principles that are extensively deliberated upon in the literature, such as equity, justice, or respect for autonomy. However, we acknowledge the existence and relevance of procedural practices, which we also consider as ethical principles or practices that, when implemented, enhance the efficacy of infodemic management while ensuring the respect of substantive ethical principles.
Drawing from 103 publications, the review yielded several key findings related to ethical principles, approaches, and guidelines for practice in the context of infodemic management. Community engagement, empowerment through education, and inclusivity emerged as procedural principles and practices that enhance the quality and effectiveness of communication and social listening efforts, fostering trust, a key emerging theme and crucial ethical principle. The review also emphasized the significance of transparency, privacy, and cybersecurity in data collection.
This review underscores the pivotal role of ethics in bolstering the efficacy of infodemic management. From the analyzed body of literature, it becomes evident that ethical considerations serve as essential instruments for cultivating trust and credibility while also facilitating the medium-term and long-term viability of infodemic management approaches.
在卫生突发事件期间，有效管理信息流已成为一项至关重要的挑战。一个以信息生态系统快速变化为特征的新时代，加上错误信息和虚假信息的广泛传播，使问题更加复杂。为了使信息流管理措施有效、可接受和值得信赖，需要有一个强有力的伦理考虑框架。
本系统范围审查旨在确定和分析与信息流管理相关的伦理考虑和程序原则，最终增强这些实践的效果，并增加利益相关者对执行信息流管理实践的信任，以保护公众健康。
该审查从 2002 年至 2022 年，对与信息流管理中的伦理考虑相关的文献进行了全面审查，从 PubMed、Scopus 和 Web of Science 中的出版物中获取信息。搜索策略包括政策文件和相关材料。根据纳入和排除标准筛选论文，并根据 PRISMA（系统评价和荟萃分析的首选报告项目）指南系统地确定和分类核心主题领域。我们分析文献，以确定在信息流管理和社会倾听领域指导行动的重要实质性伦理原则，以及相关的程序伦理原则。在本审查中，我们考虑了文献中广泛讨论的伦理原则，例如公平、正义或尊重自主权。然而，我们承认存在并关注程序实践，我们也将其视为伦理原则或实践，如果实施，将提高信息流管理的效果，同时确保实质性伦理原则得到尊重。
从 103 篇出版物中，审查得出了一些与伦理原则、方法以及在信息流管理背景下实践指南相关的关键发现。社区参与、通过教育赋予权力和包容性成为增强沟通和社会倾听努力质量和效果、建立信任的程序原则和实践，信任是一个新出现的主题和关键的伦理原则。审查还强调了在数据收集过程中透明度、隐私和网络安全的重要性。
本审查强调了伦理在增强信息流管理效果方面的关键作用。从分析的文献中可以明显看出，伦理考虑是培养信任和信誉的基本手段，同时也为信息流管理方法的中期和长期可行性提供了便利。
