Big funding, big doubts: is tech money poisoning trust in science?

When COVID-19 was spreading rapidly in the US, President Donald Trump made a surreal suggestion: using bleach injections to treat the infection.

Thankfully, rigorous peer-reviewed science was already on the case. And while researchers did not completely see eye to eye, the majority agreed vaccines were our only shot at survival.

Time and time again, scientific consensus has come to the rescue of humanity – convincing people that maybe, just maybe, experts are right about things like climate change and deadly diseases.

But this persuasive power isn’t ironclad.

As new research from The Australian National University (ANU) shows, trust in research could be eroding. The culprit? Money, money, money.

“Our US-based study found information about scientists’ financial motives decreases trust in science,” says Dr Kimin Eom from the ANU College of Business and Economics.

“The extent to which scientists are perceived as financially motivated can depend on who funds research, who the primary figure communicating science to the public is, and even broader societal factors such as economic inequality and poverty.

“If trust in scientists decreases, we lose an opportunity to guide public action on critical issues such as the safety of vaccines.”

What’s big tech got to do with it?

It is no secret tech companies are increasingly financing university research.

But when Silicon Valley pays, who owns the truth?  

In 2023, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg funded research to prove Facebook’s algorithms did not spur misinformation during the 2020 US election.

The findings were initially presented as reassuring, but a new investigation suggests the tech giant tweaked their algorithms to manipulate the study results.

Though the researchers had no hand in the alterations, this case demonstrates that big tech can wield unchecked power over the research it funds.

With billions being funnelled into areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and electric vehicles, Eom believes there is a risk people could start associating these research projects with industry interests.

“If a scandal involving scientific misconduct or fraud occurs, public suspicion regarding researchers’ self-centred motives will be confirmed, leading to a significant decline in trust,” he says.

“This can make people perceive research as financially motivated and, consequently, less trustworthy.”

Big tech’s influence also extends beyond academia.

Elon Musk, a self-confessed Trump supporter, is rumoured to have used his social platform X to boost his own political content. The entanglement of big tech and politics raises broader concerns about trust in science.

“When politics are involved, trust in research funded by a specific company will be very likely to be polarised,” Eom says.

Conspiracies take flight

In the US, nearly four in ten Republicans express little confidence in scientists to act in the public interest.

Some people believe the recent hurricanes Helene and Milton were intentionally engineered by the government through chemically-manipulated water vapor left by planes – also known as ‘chemtrails’.

There is also a widely circulated (and unproven) claim that the devastating 2023 fires in Hawaii were sparked by a Star Wars-esque laser beam.

“Conspiracy beliefs can stem from distrust in the government and politicians or a lack of scientific knowledge,” says Eom.

“Ideally, scientists are a group who can counter these by providing correct information. However, if mistrust in science and scientists increases, scientists’ explanations will not be convincing.”

He suggests that corporate-funded research could be making some people more prone to conspiracy thinking.  

“There are studies that show people generally tend to trust privately funded research less,” Eom says.

“This can lead to greater suspicion about the integrity of the research, potentially producing rumours and conspiracy theories about hidden agendas and special interest groups.”

Rebuilding trust

Despite the rise in internet hoaxes, tech bro funding and deceitful algorithms, Eom still has faith in humanity.

“I believe there is also an internal drive and genuine interest within organisations to support research for social good and positive change,” he says

“And I expect this trend to accelerate as younger generations, who are better informed about social issues from an early age, place greater emphasis on corporate social responsibility.”

Cross-sector cooperation, he argues, will be key.

“Maintaining trust in science and scientists is something policymakers and governments should pay close attention to and manage carefully.

“A systemic approach is crucial. Universities and governments may need to develop platforms that facilitate co-funding and co-management with industry.

“Instead of giving complete control to the industry, collaboration among private companies, academia and government will help ensure that science reflects the interest of a broad range of stakeholders, including society as a whole.”