How Understanding Information Environments Leads to Misinformation Solutions

Misinformation is not a single false belief but a complex ecosystem of forces that shape how people encounter, interpret, and trust information. Influencers, state‑sponsored disinformation, algorithms, bot networks, offline communities, and emerging AI tools all interact to create increasingly siloed information environments. For medical writers, understanding how these environments function and how they shape audience perceptions is essential for producing effective, trustworthy content.

This session will demonstrate a practical approach to researching and adapting content to a target audience’s information environment. The framework draws on a media literacy and critical‑thinking curriculum developed for the Public Health Association of BC, now used in hundreds of schools across Canada, and later refined for the World Health Organization’s Department of Communications. Participants will learn how to analyze an information environment and tailor messaging to improve clarity, credibility, and impact in medical writing and CME.

Cost: AMWA Member $10, AMWA Non-member $15, Student $5