Manufactured controversy

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A manufactured controversy (sometimes shortened to manufactroversy) is a contrived disagreement, typically motivated by profit or ideology, designed to create public confusion concerning an issue about which there is no substantial academic dispute.[1][2] This concept has also been referred to as manufactured uncertainty.[3]

Mechanisms of manufacturing controversy and uncertainty

Manufacturing controversy has been a tactic used by ideological and corporate groups to "neutralize the influence of academic scientists" in public policy debates.

theoretical models, and false balance in media reporting
contribute to the generation of manufactured controversies.

Alan D. Attie describes its process as "to amplify uncertainties, cherry-pick experts, attack individual scientists, marginalize the traditional role of distinguished scientific bodies and get the media to report "both sides" of a manufactured controversy."[4]

Those manufacturing uncertainty may label academic research as "

Reye's syndrome in children who take aspirin).[5] Chief among these stalling tactics is generating scientific uncertainty, "no matter how powerful or conclusive the evidence",[5]
to prevent regulation.

Another tactic used to manufacture controversy is to cast the

Legal effects

In the United States, the generation of manufactured uncertainty about scientific data has affected political and legal proceedings in many different areas. The Data Quality Act and the Supreme Court's Daubert standard have been cited as tools used by those manufacturing controversy to obfuscate scientific consensus.[3][4]

Concerns have been raised regarding the

Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency rely heavily on unpublished studies from industry sources that have not been peer reviewed.[9]
This can allow a given industry control over the extent of available research, and the pace at which it is reviewable, when challenging scientific research that may threaten their business interests.

Prominent examples

Examples of controversies that have been labeled manufactured controversies:

See also

References

  1. ^ Manufactroversy: "A contrived or non-existent controversy, manufactured by political ideologues or interest groups who use deception and specious arguments to make their case", Paul McFedries, Wordspy.com, December 16, 2009
  2. ^
    Science Progress. Center for American Progress. Archived from the original
    on August 21, 2019.
  3. ^ .
  4. ^ .
  5. ^ .
  6. ^ "The Paranoid Style in American Science: 3. Contrary Imaginations", Daniel Engber, Slate, April 17, 2008
  7. ^ "The Paranoid Style in American Science: 2. An Uncertain Truth", Daniel Engber, Slate, April 16, 2008
  8. PMID 20027493
    .
  9. ^ .
  10. ^ Holthouse, David (Summer 2008). "State of Denial Turkey Spends Millions to Cover Up Armenian Genocide. Intelligence Report" (130). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. S2CID 154623321
    .
  12. .
  13. Skeptic Magazine
    . 15 (2).

Further reading

  1. ^ Branch, Glenn (2017). "Understanding Manufactroversies". Skeptical Inquirer. 41 (3): 60–62.