“As the vaccination wars continue to escalate, a new study suggests that trusted doctors and experts may be no match for the loud and often inaccurate wisdom of Internet commenters.

In a first-of-its kind experiment, researchers at Washington State University have shown that people tend to be persuaded less by credible pro- and anti-vaccination information published online than by individual users who hang around in comments threads on the topic kicking up dust.

The findings, which will appear in an upcoming Journal of Advertising, underscore the powerful influence of information disseminated by word of mouth. Moreover, they offer a striking insight into the ability of the anti-vaccination movement to flourish despite mounting outrage and overwhelming scientific evidence that supports vaccination.”

Read More Here: http://www.vocativ.com/culture/society/vaccination-debate/

John Iadarola (http://www.twitter.com/jiadarola), Dave Rubin (http://www.twitter.com/rubinreport) and Hannah Cranston (https://twitter.com/hannahcranston_) of The Young Turks discuss.

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