Activism, health and the Net: Are new media shaping our perception of uncertainty?

Abstract

The Internet represents a fertile ground for the communication and dissemination of information about health in general, and about health risks in particular. Moreover, new media can play a key role in shaping the public perception of risk and uncertainty, potentially allowing everybody to have a say in public discussions. More and more activist groups profit from this opportunity and increasingly exploit new media to draw attention to and make sense of the diverse information delivered in the public debate on health issues. Moving from the results of a content analysis of 702 messages posted between 2001 and 2007 in a Swiss activist group’s online discussion forum discussing the risks linked to non-ionizing radiation, this article explores the ways communication flows within new technologies. Non-ionizing radiation is an interesting topic because there is no scientific evidence that supports either its positive or negative effect on health, shifting the burden of proof and discussion to the population. Lacking clear and definitive institutional communication about the topic, we assume that the information presented on the Internet in general, and by online activist groups in particular, could have a great impact on people’s risk perception.