Bad Science: "Legal Chill"

Ben Goldacre, who writes the Bad Science column in the Guardian and has a blog of the same name, takes a critical and sceptical look at the way the media treat scientific topics. He looks at the original data, testing and challenging popular views, and generally tackling - well, bad science.

One of his bugbears is, understandably, the misinformation about the MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine. Some people have supposed a link between MMR and the onset of autism, which is not supported by the evidence. As a result, the uptake of MMR has declined, and this may be one reason for the worrying rise in measles in England that was announced today.

Earlier this week, Goldacre posted an analysis of a programme broadcast on LBC, a London radio station, which was full of misreprentations and - well, bad science.

Goldacre has now posted about contact from LBC's lawyers:

"LBC’s lawyers say that the clip I posted is a clear infringement of their copyright, that I must take it down immediately, that I must inform them when I have done so, and that they “reserve their rights”...

The clip I posted was, to my mind, hideous and unremitting: it went on for so long.

In fact it was so long, so unrelenting, and so misinformed that I really couldn’t express to you how hideous it was. If I tried, without the audio, you might think I was exaggerating."

Such bullying by a large corporation implies that their representatives can say what they want, without factual backing or concern for the effect of actions. I am all for free speech; but also for such speech to be challenged.

Edit: Cory Doctorw has written an account of what the threat of measles means in his part of London, over on Boing Boing.

Bad Science: "Legal Chill"

Ben Goldacre, who writes the Bad Science column in the Guardian and has a blog of the same name, takes a critical and sceptical look at the way the media treat scientific topics. He looks at the original data, testing and challenging popular views, and generally tackling - well, bad science.

One of his bugbears is, understandably, the misinformation about the MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine. Some people have supposed a link between MMR and the onset of autism, which is not supported by the evidence. As a result, the uptake of MMR has declined, and this may be one reason for the worrying rise in measles in England that was announced today.

Earlier this week, Goldacre posted an analysis of a programme broadcast on LBC, a London radio station, which was full of misreprentations and - well, bad science.

Goldacre has now posted about contact from LBC's lawyers:

"LBC’s lawyers say that the clip I posted is a clear infringement of their copyright, that I must take it down immediately, that I must inform them when I have done so, and that they “reserve their rights”...

The clip I posted was, to my mind, hideous and unremitting: it went on for so long.

In fact it was so long, so unrelenting, and so misinformed that I really couldn’t express to you how hideous it was. If I tried, without the audio, you might think I was exaggerating."

Such bullying by a large corporation implies that their representatives can say what they want, without factual backing or concern for the effect of actions. I am all for free speech; but also for such speech to be challenged.

Edit: Cory Doctorw has written an account of what the threat of measles means in his part of London, over on Boing Boing.

Twenty Five Things

I don't normally do this kind of meme, but I was specifically asked to do it; I was going to decline, but I have found others' responses interesting and amusing, so I thought I might give it a go. But single sentence answers never work for me (which is why I don't normally do this kind of meme): they is always more of a story to tell, and this is all about telling stories, so it might get a bit long – twenty five paragraphs...
( Read more... )

Twenty Five Things

I don't normally do this kind of meme, but I was specifically asked to do it; I was going to decline, but I have found others' responses interesting and amusing, so I thought I might give it a go. But single sentence answers never work for me (which is why I don't normally do this kind of meme): they is always more of a story to tell, and this is all about telling stories, so it might get a bit long – twenty five paragraphs...
( Read more... )