📄 A new global analysis in Vaccines uses machine-learning counterfactuals to quantify just how much disease and economic burden has been averted by Hib vaccination over the past three decades.

👉Drawing on data from 159 countries, researchers estimated that Hib immunization has averted 1.32 million deaths and 91 million disability adjusted life-years. From an economic perspective, the authors find that Hib vaccination has generated substantial human capital gains and is cost-saving in all countries studied.

🔗 Read the full study: https://lnkd.in/eUUxBm49

Yet another measles outbreak shows the consequences of anti-vaccine sentiments.

When should social media posts have legal consequences?

Comparing and contrasting the cases of Lucy Connolly and Alaa Abd El-Fattah

David Allen Green
New Statesman

“Let’s consider a hypothetical situation: person [A] uses a social media platform to publish [B] about a group of people [C], when [B] is an especially unpleasant statement. If you know nothing else about this social media utterance, is it possible to have a view on whether [A] should face an adverse legal sanction?

Some would say that, even at this level of abstraction, [A] has a right to free speech and so there is nothing the state can and should do to [A] without violating that right. Most of us, however, would want to know more before expressing a view.

…The better position is to look at the content of [B]. No legal regime guarantees absolute freedom for all possible speech acts. Fraud, for example, is often committed by spoken or written words, as are conspiracies to commit murder. No serious person would say fraud and conspiracies to commit murder should be protected by a right to free expression.

…In today’s hyper-partisan political culture, a common position is “free speech for me, but not for thee”. Those claiming the benefit of the right to free expression often make grand declarations against censorship and so on, while simultaneously nodding along with prohibitions and sanctions on others.

The problem is that fundamental rights do not only exist on the rarified plane of abstraction, but instead have to be applied in concrete practical cases.

And this often means that what can be a “free speech” issue in one situation can quickly become a “they deserve it” dismissal in another, with only the slightest change of fact – usually the identity of [A] or the group [C] that is being verbally insulted or threatened.”

https://lnkd.in/eE-2UiZ8

 💌📣Our new Disinfo Update is out now!
The final edition of 2025 examines how the global information space is being reshaped by evolving state-backed influence operations, persistent platform integrity failures, and growing political battles over truth, free speech, and regulation.

This issue covers Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns across multiple regions, the role of tech platforms in amplifying misinformation, climate and crisis-related falsehoods, and early signals from DSA enforcement. As we head into 2026, it highlights why long-term resilience, accountability, and coordinated action are critical for democratic information spaces.

👉Read the full edition: https://lnkd.in/evGwGAUP

"Over the holiday period, The Guardian leader column is looking ahead at the themes of 2026. Today we examine how the White House’s war on vaccines has left the future of a key technology uncertain and up for grabs."

Just look at the image to understand the real implications of the MAHA policies. We're getting to a similar situation as in Samoa (2019), with 83 deaths compared to zero in 2017. And other once gone diseases are coming back too.

Lies have real consequences. Don't fall victim for antivaxx propaganda, get your vaccines. | 10 comments on LinkedIn

In the new year, help us further our mission to eliminate vaccine-preventable deaths and expand vaccine access to everyone, everywhere.

Give today ⤵️
https://lnkd.in/eFKxu8rU

The Era of Fake News: Students’ Exposure, Media Literacy, and Responses (Journal of Education, Management and Development Studies):

https://lnkd.in/deaaNZ2e

Glimpse: This study examines how senior high school students in Mangaldan National High School's Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) track acquire media literacy and critical thinking skills in the face of growing misinformation exposure. Even though media literacy is included in the national curriculum, research shows that pupils' capacity to assess and refute misleading material is seriously lacking. The study distinguishes between misinformation, disinformation, and fake news and emphasizes how online personalities and AI-driven algorithms shape public conversation. The findings indicate that media literacy and critical thinking training must be strengthened immediately, with implications for improving quality education (SDG 4) and bolstering robust, knowledgeable institutions (SDG 16).

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Free articles and analyses on soft counter-extremism, against online hate, and on the theory of mis-/disinformation (usually third-party content). Two-week reviews available via the following three websites:
• counter-terrorism.org
• preventhate.org
• strategism.org

The most recent LinkedIn posts, with summaries, on the above subjects can be accessed via:
• https://lnkd.in/eBarZAew

#policyinstitutenet #preventradicalization #preventextremism 
#counterextremism #preventhate #disinformation #misinformation

A post not to create fear ? No… simply another post of misinformation…

Fuel for Fake News: Emotion and Partisan Bias in the Processing of Political Misinformation (University of Oklahoma):

https://lnkd.in/d7d9-DSt

Glimpse: This dissertation investigates how people's reactions to political misinformation are influenced by three distinct emotions: wrath, fear, and joy. The study examines how emotions impact political claim evaluation accuracy, decision time, confidence, skepticism toward correct statements, and readiness to communicate verified information. It builds on research on emotional influences, belief congruence, and affective polarization. The results demonstrate that fear consistently lowers desire to communicate information deemed true, regardless of partisan emotional polarization, using a U.S. adult sample (N = 600). On the other hand, among highly polarized people, anger increases confidence and sharing intentions, whereas among those with low polarization, it decreases both outcomes. Reduced accuracy in separating fact from fiction is also predicted by greater alignment between misinformation and prior ideas. The findings demonstrate how partisan and emotional factors work together to affect people's vulnerability to political disinformation and the spread of political content.

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Free articles and analyses on soft counter-extremism, against online hate, and on the theory of mis-/disinformation (usually third-party content). Two-week reviews available via the following three websites:
• counter-terrorism.org
• preventhate.org
• strategism.org

The most recent LinkedIn posts, with summaries, on the above subjects can be accessed via:
• https://lnkd.in/eBarZAew

#policyinstitutenet #preventradicalization #preventextremism 
#counterextremism #preventhate #disinformation #misinformation

In our forthcoming peer-reviewed study publication in the International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management, Yulong Li, Anthony Scotina, and I wanted to understand why some U.S. states embraced COVID-19 vaccination while others lagged far behind, even when vaccines were widely available. By analyzing all 50 states, we uncovered “three Americas,” each shaped by a mix of politics, personality, and how leaders communicated with the public. Governors who talked more often and more positively about vaccines tended to lead states with higher vaccination rates. Personality traits like openness and anxiety also mattered in how communities responded. In contrast, states with little messaging, negative tone, and looser policies struggled the most. Our takeaway is simple but powerful: how leaders communicate matters, emotions matter, and people respond differently to health messages. Understanding this can help leaders connect better when trust matters most. Anyone interested in a copy of the article, feel free to contact us.

Li, Y., Vieira, E. T., Jr., & Scotina, A. D. (2026). Tale of three Americas: A cluster analysis on state-to-state variations in COVID-19 vaccination rates in the USA. International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management, 17(2), 208–231.

Si les parents de Loan avaient eu connaissance de la vaccination Drame #méningite https://lnkd.in/eMkVyykR Stephanie RIST

As the Secretary of Health and Human Services tells the American public that the measles vaccine causes deaths every year, and to try Vitamin A, South Carolina's measles epidemic is surging right before holiday travel is set to kick off. Yay team?

Did you know that by age 24-26, a projected 33% of adults who received the MMR vaccine are susceptible to clinical infection with measles virus?

Stay informed about vaccines and make informed decisions about your health. Learn more: picdata.org/measles

#vaccines

Yet another large study confirming the benefits of the mRNA vaccines. Compare this to a "case report" or short term studies in a few patients that are often used by antivaxxers to claim damages.

(All edits are due to my inability to type well on my cell phone!)

3 études citées dans cet article à rapprocher de la pratique d'euthanasie passive appliquée par beaucoup de soignants hautement diplomés en immunologie et très antivax dans les ehpad: 😊
1) Près de 4 % des décès par infarctus du myocarde chez les adultes de 50 ans et plus peuvent être attribués à la grippe.
2) Le risque de faire une crise cardiaque augmente par six dans la semaine suivant une infection grippale confirmée.
3) Environ une personne sur huit hospitalisé pour une grippe: a présenté un événement cardiovasculaire aigu.

Fantastic to hear the government intends a long-over-due focus on children’s health, including re vaccination. Best news of the year! An example is this initiative to equip health visitors to vaccinate underserved children. Lets be optimistic!
UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Sally Kendall MBE Tracey Chantler Ben Kasstan-Dabush

My in depth 10 minute interview with Here & Now’s Robin Young NPR WBUR on the collapse of our vaccine ecosystem in America

It would appear that the word of a conspiratorial far-right so-called "influencer ' now serves as actual evidence.

And what a surprise, there's $$$ & grift involved:

"Nick Shirley, suddenly in the national spotlight, has expressed concerns about his safety and is asking supporters to donate to his security, including by selling $50 sweatshirts on his website. "