To quantify the extent of misinformation about GMOs, a study was conducted by the Alliance for Science at the Boyce Thompson Institute in partnership with Cision Media and led by Mark Lynas on the top worldwide online English-language media during a two-year period, January 12, 2019 t,o January 12, 2021. The results of the study are now published in an open-access paper inย GM Crops and Food.
Out of the 535 relevant articles gathered by the team, 488 (91%) were found to be factually accurate, while 47 (9%) contained misinformation. The report also showed that the factually accurate articles had a potential readership of 4.8 billion, while those containing misinformation had a reach of 256 million.
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The study found no positive-toned articles about GMOs in the misinformation category. 100% of misinformation about GMOs has been characterized as negative, mixed, or neutral in sentiment. This suggests that anti-GMO activists have successfully influenced the media coverage of GMOs and that misinformation primarily originates from the anti-GMO perspective. The documented benefits of GMOs were foregone in countries where GMOs are banned.
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The authors of the study wrote that the results of their research were concerning because they showed the persistence and influence of anti-GMO misinformation campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the misinformation articles found in the database quoted anti-GMO campaigners. While misinformation is high for GMOs, it is not unique to the topic as it is also evident in vaccines, which drives hesitancy in sub-Saharan Africa.
