New power versus old: to beat antivaccination campaigners we need to learn from them—an essay by Kathryn Perera, Henry Timms, and Jeremy Heimans

Abstract

Healthcare professionals have grown up in “old power” institutions, but only by understanding how “new power” works can we respond effectively to the antivaccination narratives spread on social media, surmise Kathryn Perera, Henry Timms, and Jeremy Heimans

Global spread of innovations—direction is important

“…Perhaps studying how the Ponseti method spread in the US and Europe would be better, as it is an example of the strategies recommended by Perera and colleagues in their essay on resisting antivaccination campaigners 4. Families on the east coast of the US, who were being offered only extensive surgery for their infants, found and promoted Ponseti’s method largely through self-supporting groups and the internet.…”

Antivaccination movement exploits public’s distrust in scientific authority

“…Perera and colleagues urge us to learn from the surge of self-organising networks that are driving the rapid spread of antivaccination messages 1. Better than adopting the social media techniques of this so-called new power, the case for vaccination could get a needed boost by tackling the conditions that precipitated this challenge to the old knowledge order.…”

Using social media for vaccination promotion: Practices and challenges

“…For those without ready access to resources, harnessing 'new power' may offer a lateral solution: encouraging audiences to converse amongst themselves can also foster audience engagement, although organisations must intervene to protect users when necessary. 21,26,30 We also recommend vaccine-promoting organisations prioritise social media listening across a range of platforms, which would bring further sophistication to their practice, and is in keeping with the risk communication principle of environmental scanning to listen to audience concerns. 15,31,32 By detecting significant information events, such as public controversies, 19 vaccine-promoting organisations could target lowconfidence communities with interventions to counter misinformation.…”