Abstract
Multiple scientific fields assert that we are in the middle of an ‘infodemic’, characterized by the rapid spread of significant volumes of both accurate and inaccurate information. The inherent challenge of the infodemic is the difficulty of distinguishing accurate information from inaccurate information. Further complicating the navigation of the infodemic is the existence of misinformation and disinformation, both of which fall under what the philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt formally defined as ‘bullshit’ (i.e., persuasion without regard for the truth). Misinformation is false information, but without a clear intention to cause harm, whereas disinformation contains an intention to manipulate and/or cause damage. In this symposium, we aim to stimulate a critical discussion around the sources and consequences of misinformation in different areas of sport science. This symposium includes three presentations. The first explores the sources, channels, and themes of misinformation on mental performance in sport through content analysis of social media posts. The second presents a case study of misinformation generated by machine learning from third party sport analytic providers, and its influence on performance evaluation and coaching. Third, results of a rapid review will summarize and critique current sport science research using machine learning and deep learning in athlete development contexts (i.e., athlete development, talent identification, and athlete selection). Finally, a renowned researcher in this area will provide their perspective as discussant.
