TrustOn 2024: Building Trust – MEDIATION Track

TrustOn 2024: Building Trust is a mini blogseries on the OPERAS blog with interviews of the chairs of the three tracks (mediation, science and infrastructure) of the “TrustOn 2024 – tackling disinformation” workshop from their unique perspective about the workshop in Brussels in June 2024. The results of the workshop will be presented online at the Science Summit at the 79th United Nations General Assembly on the 11th of September 2024, at 11 am (ET)/ 5 pm (CEST).

Answers by Suzanne Dumouchel (OPERAS Partnerships Coordinator) and chair of the Mediation Track at the TrustOn 2024 workshop

What motivated you to participate in the #TrustOn2024 workshop and how does it relate to your work?

At OPERAS, we support open scholarly communication with the goal to facilitate the sharing of scientific outputs to the society. For the European Research Infrastructure, decisions by the policy makers must be informed by the work of the researchers. Secondly, the multiplication of bad-quality content on the Internet must be addressed with concrete solutions to be found. As such, disinformation is a first objective.

What key insights have you gained about the role of mediation in building trust?

Participants emphasised the importance of identifying and promoting trusted sources, suggesting data cooperatives as a way for communities to collectively share and validate information. Building trust within digital communities was linked to knowing people within those communities and fostering reciprocity, with collaboration among similar individuals being effective, though caution was advised against excessive homogeneity. To reduce polarisation, strategies focused on encouraging nuanced arguments and thoughtful dialogue rather than binary positions. There was also a discussion on the need for technology design that promotes meaningful engagement over simplistic feedback mechanisms, with an emphasis on considering both engagement and ecological impacts. Understanding the broader information landscape was deemed crucial, with journalists playing a key role in balancing regulation and human behaviour, recognizing that humans are inherently social. Finally, the discussion covered the various levels at which information is mediated and the actors involved.

Group work at the mediation track

How would you describe the role of collaboration in mediating trust?

Collaboration plays a pivotal role in mediating trust by fostering relationships within communities where individuals can share, validate, and exchange information collectively. Through data cooperatives and community engagement, collaboration enables participants to build familiarity and reciprocity, which are essential for establishing trust. By working together, individuals are better able to navigate complex information landscapes, promote nuanced discussions, and avoid the pitfalls of polarisation. This collective effort helps to create a more reliable and trustworthy environment, as people feel more confident in the information shared within a collaborative framework.

What are the main challenges in mediating trust between researchers and the public?

The primary concern was the exhaustion caused by information overload, highlighting the need to define which information requires conscious consumption and to guide citizens in navigating these complexities. Rebuilding trust, which has been disrupted, emerged as a crucial challenge, alongside exploring effective methods for the control and governance of mediation efforts.

What would be your main recommendation for mediation that comes out of the discussions?

The proposed recommendations and actions emphasise the establishment of community-based groups to define values and act as trustworthy mediators, leveraging social capital. Honesty and lifelong learning, including the rewarding of transparency like publishing errata, were highlighted as key values. A balance between self-regulation and legal frameworks was suggested, alongside a pragmatic approach to information selection and addressing training needs. Enhancing digital and media literacy, developing ethical frameworks, and fostering multi-dimensional communication were also prioritised. Citizen engagement, transparency in human-machine interactions, and promoting inclusive infrastructure through co-design were emphasised. The need for diverse approaches to disinformation was recognized, along with the disruption and rebuilding of traditional mediators through new governance models. Strengthening community relationships for knowledge sharing, linking regulations to community-defined values, and advocating for community-controlled frameworks to align mediation efforts with local needs were also key points. The first step to address disinformation is the building of a collective, willing to concretely act and engage against disinformation.

Group work at the mediation track

What was the biggest lesson you learned during the workshop or which session/presentation/moment had the most profound impact on you and why?

Well…I would say that there is a consciousness about the importance of the issue and the need to work collectively. But what has been highlighted is also the need to be brave in this situation. Policy makers must dare to take decisions and actions that won’t be easy to take. They are convinced because it is difficult not to be but there is a gap between the willingness and the actions and I’d hope we will close it very soon.

Is there anything else you would like to share/mention with our readers?

The next step of this collective approach is planned on the 11th of September at 5pm CET for a session at the Science Summit of the United Nations! Don’t be shy and come! We need to set up a big task force!