"Speed restrictions lead to traffic chaos"
Hot Topics, Cruel Comments: Some subjects are loaded with hate and hostility – even when backed by scientific evidence. Researchers often face online threats, sometimes physical attacks. How do they cope?
When the Bavarian Vice-Minister-President referred to climate researcher Christian Scharun as a "jerk," Scharun took it in stride. He added a checkmark next to the Bucket List entry "Insulted by Hubert Aiwanger" and commented that it was still "uncool to judge others based on their gender, age, or appearance instead of their ideas and actions."
Scharun overlooks comments about his youthful looks. But he has also been called a "climate pest" and a "Nazi," as he puts it. "Shut your damn mouth" is one of the milder comments. "I could file a daily handful of reports," says the former researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), who now works for science journalist Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim.
Many researchers, especially women, are targeted in this way. They post something online, and criticism, insults, sometimes death threats follow. A colleague once jokingly said that it had only been a death threat. "That hurts when that's supposed to be the positive," says Scharun. Many researchers communicate publicly less often to avoid backlash. "But it shouldn't be the goal that only the tough-skinned ones are left in the end."
Insults and Hostility a Major Issue
The German Centre for Higher Education, Science and Research (DZHW) published results of a representative survey in May, indicating that 45% of researchers had experienced some form of scientific harassment. The trend is on the rise.
There was criticism that the study counted "derogatory remarks" and an "inappropriate reaction to scientific findings in public discussions" as scientific harassment. But at the core, there is probably nothing to debate: "Insults against researchers are a serious issue."
And not merely when they, like virologist Christian Drosten during the Corona times, become the focus of public attention and debate. Even lesser-known researchers and researchers are affected, as Scharun says.
After lectures, people rarely approach him and express criticism – "usually not friendly, but peaceful." However, in social networks, "the shit hits the fan." "Temper Tantrums are a guarantee for drama," says Scharun. "The chaos ensues." But he also often triggers a wave of reactions with his contributions on climate change. "I can expect the entire mob to gather within a few hours."
Apart from lies from climate change deniers and insults, it rapidly devolves to other topics such as Corona, Russia's war in Ukraine, and the Gaza Conflict. Scharun refers to "Bullshit Bingo." A classic, especially since he works for the publicly-funded ZDF known Nguyen-Kim and "Terra X": What he tells the public broadcasters is "dictated from above," he is a "puppet of the elites."
For researchers and scientists who are targeted by harassment, threats, or hate messages, there are support resources. In the network for communicating researchers ("WissKon"), they can call for help via a so-called "Mayday-Button". The German Federal Association of University Communications and the organization Science and Dialogue have also launched the "Scicomm-Support" initiative last year, an online platform with a phone number for personal consultation.
Contrary to expectations, the work does not focus solely on areas dealing with currently socially relevant and controversial topics such as climate change, research with animal experiments, gender and diversity research. "In fact, the requests come from the entire scientific field spectrum," the team stated and named examples such as Theology, Philosophy, and Economics.
Since the beginning, the experts have reportedly advised a professor who has been insulted, threatened, and followed – up to a physical attack in public. At public events, there is a security team present.
"Misinformation is also a weapon"
Scharun is part of a small community. "We even exchange some of the stupidest comments." He refuses to give in to fear. There, he can reach many people, as there are indeed enough reasons for scientific discussions in the field. Since July 2021, he has been on the platform himself, after winning a science competition. He now has more than 16,500 followers.
And he has a strategy: he doesn't respond to accounts with few followers at all. When he reacts to major fake news spreaders with thousands of followers, it's probably a lost cause, Scharun admits. "But maybe I'll reach a reader or a follower." But that takes a lot of time: "It's much easier to spread lies than to correct them."
He also spends more time now on explaining how lies are spread – for example, when quotes from Nobel Prize winners are taken out of context. Scharun wishes there were more rules, like a requirement for source citations on social media platforms. He used to see accounts being suspended more frequently, he says. Today, he's happy if there are at least warnings that an account is likely to spread lies. "Of course, everyone should be able to express themselves freely," Scharun says. "But lies are also a weapon."
