The purpose of the study is to find out what social media platforms farmers use, for what purposes, and how they encounter agricultural misinformation in digital spaces.
Farmers are often encouraged to use social media for a variety of reasons related to their work practices. Recently, misinformation has become an issue of concern on social media platforms. Misinformation is defined as forms of false information that are often interpreted to be true. Misinformation is shared within the intention to cause harm, but false information can cause harm regardless of intent. Agricultural misinformation, false information about farming, is a growing concern for farmers and others within the agricultural industry. This can lead to farmers having an increase in negative experiences online based on the misconceptions of farming and agriculture.
To understand this issue, this survey seeks to first understand how farmers in Ontario use social media and understand how they have encountered, reacted, or responded to agricultural misinformation.
Please see below an invitation from S. Heeg to participate in a research project.
The impact of social media agricultural misinformation on Ontario farmers: Request for participation
My name is S. Heeg and I am a PhD student working under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Lynes-Murray in the Faculty of Environment in the School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development at the University of Waterloo. The reason that I am contacting you is that we are conducting a research study that is examining the impact of social media agricultural misinformation on Ontario farmers. We are currently inviting farmers to participate in this survey.
Participation in this study involves responding to survey questions that will ask participants to recount the ways they use social media, what topics of agricultural misinformation they’ve encountered, how they encounter this misinformation, and how this has impacted them. As social media has become an important part of many farmers’ work practices, it is important to us that we understand how they are impacted (physically and emotionally) by misinformation about farming.
Participation in this study would take approximately 15 - 20 minutes. In appreciation of participants’ time, they can enter a draw to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards.
This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Board.
If you have any questions about this study or need more information before you decide whether to participate, please contact one of the researchers: Dr. Jennifer Lynes-Murray or S.Heeg.
If you are interested in participating, please follow the link to our survey.
Sincerely,
S. Heeg, PhD Candidate
School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, University of Waterloo
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