Science and Social Media: An Uneasy Relationship

Twitter – or as it is now called, X – has never been the biggest social media platform, but it has always been the most important for sharing ideas. “The world’s town square”, as Elon Musk likes to call it, is the go-to place for world leaders and thinkers to share their thoughts and ideas. It is also the place for scientists to have their say. This runs from famous scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson to smaller niche accounts that have carved out a following by offering their insight into everything from understanding data to climate change. As you might expect, there is also a lot of pushback against scientists on social media. Climate change, of course, is becoming a hot-button topic, and many experts are hounded on the platforms. Other issues like gender and vaccinations also see scientists receive criticism for offering opinions. The publication Nature wrote about it last year, covering the widespread abuse of major scientists and the limp attempts by social media platforms to combat it.