(Mis)Information Operations: An Integrated Perspective

2024

This paper explores the role of social media in the dissemination of misinformation and the subsequent deepening of political polarization. As digital platforms have transformed how information is consumed and shared, they have also become fertile ground for the spread of false narratives. The analysis reveals that algorithmic structures prioritize sensational content, resulting in a significant exposure to misinformation, with approximately 64% of U.S. adults reporting encounters with false information online. This phenomenon fosters echo chambers, where users self-segregate into ideologically homogenous groups, reinforcing existing beliefs and exacerbating ideological divides. The paper further examines the implications of these findings for policymakers, technology companies, and users. It advocates for regulatory frameworks that hold social media platforms accountable while promoting media literacy among users to enhance critical thinking skills. The importance of collaboration between governments, tech companies, and civil society is emphasized to create comprehensive strategies for combating misinformation. Lastly, the paper identifies areas for future research, including the effectiveness of media literacy programs and the psychological mechanisms behind the sharing of misinformation. By addressing these critical issues, this study aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between social media, misinformation, and political behavior, ultimately fostering healthier public discourse and strengthening democratic processes. Through collective efforts, society can work towards mitigating the adverse effects of misinformation and polarization in the digital age.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2014

Despite the enthusiastic rhetoric about the so called collective intelligence, conspiracy theories -e.g. global warming induced by chemtrails or the link between vaccines and autism -find on the Web a natural medium for their dissemination. Users preferentially consume information according to their system of beliefs and the strife within users of opposite narratives may result in heated debates. In this work we provide a genuine example of information consumption from a sample of 1.2 million of Facebook Italian users. We show by means of a thorough quantitative analysis that information supporting different worldviews -i.e. scientific and conspiracist news -are consumed in a comparable way by their respective users. Moreover, we measure the effect of the exposure to 4709 evidently false information (satirical version of conspiracy theses) and to 4502 debunking memes (information aiming at contrasting unsubstantiated rumors) of the most polarized users of conspiracy claims. We find that either contrasting or teasing consumers of conspiracy narratives increases their probability to interact again with unsubstantiated rumors.

Profesional de la Información, 2023

The transformation that the communicative environment has undergone in recent decades poses a challenge for the media in relation to their audiences, as trust is sensitive to social, economic, cultural, and technological changes. The aim of this research is to deepen the understanding of the reasons and factors that influence the loss of trust in the media by audiences who traditionally trusted news more (young people and adults aged 25-54), examining the relevance of disinformation and polarization in discrediting the media. Firstly, the state of the issue is reviewed from the theoretical point of view and the data provided, among others, such as the Digital News Report and several studies about the global loss of trust in other institutions, with special reference to the Edelman Trust Barometer. Secondly, the article adopts a qualitative methodology to investigate the motivations and expectations of citizens regarding the media. Specifically, three discussion groups were held in various Spanish cities. To ensure representativeness, sociodemographic diversity was considered, including gender, age, and educational level criteria, among others. Among the findings, it stands out that one of the main reasons for distrust towards the media is the perception that news is biased for political or economic reasons. The Covid-19 pandemic, which was rife with disinformation, has influenced attitudes towards the media and the way news is consumed. Once the pandemic was overcome, trust in the media decreased and participants sought alternative sources of information. However, some differences in perceptions and consumption habits are noted depending on age and educational level. Finally, the research indicates that distrust extends well beyond the media ecosystem, affecting all institutions.

Opinion Forming in the Digital Age: Fake News, Echo Chambers and Populism , 2018

The Internet provides fast and ubiquitous communication that enables all kinds of communities and provides citizens with easy access to vast amounts of information, although the information is not necessarily verified and may present a distorted view of real events or facts. The Internet’s power as an instant source of mass information can be used to influence opinions, which can have far- reaching consequences. This report’s purpose is to provide input into the advisory processes that determine European support for research into the effects and management of Fake News (e.g. deliberate misinformation), Echo Chambers (e.g. closed communities where biases can be reinforced through lack of diversity in opinions), and the Internet’s influence on social and political movements such as Populism; to provide insight into how innovation that takes these aspects into account can be supported. To address this aim, this report concerns socio-technical implications of the Internet related to the impact of closed communities and misinformation and makes recommendations derived from a consultation with domain experts concerning the research needed to address specific challenges.

CTIT technical reports series, 2018

The Internet provides fast and ubiquitous communication that enables all kinds of communities and provides citizens with easy access to vast amounts of information, although the information is not necessarily verified and may present a distorted view of real events or facts. The Internet’s power as an instant source of mass information can be used to influence opinions, which can have far-reaching consequences. This report’s purpose is to provide input into the advisory processes that determine European support for research into the effects and management of Fake News (e.g. deliberate misinformation), Echo Chambers (e.g. closed communities where biases can be reinforced through lack of diversity in opinions), and the Internet’s influence on social and political movements such as Populism; to provide insight into how innovation that takes these aspects into account can be supported. To address this aim, this report concerns socio-technical implications of the Internet related to the ...

Information Systems Frontiers, 2021

Social media has played a pivotal role in polarising views on politics, climate change, and more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. Social media induced polarisation (SMIP) poses serious challenges to society as it could enable ‘digital wildfires’ that can wreak havoc worldwide. While the effects of SMIP have been extensively studied, there is limited understanding of the interplay between two key components of this phenomenon: confirmation bias (reinforcing one’s attitudes and beliefs) and echo chambers (i.e., hear their own voice). This paper addresses this knowledge deficit by exploring how manifestations of confirmation bias contributed to the development of ‘echo chambers’ at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis of data collected from 35 participants involved in supply chain information processing forms the basis of a conceptual model of SMIP and four key cross-cutting propositions emerging from the data that have implications for research and practice.

In the era of hyper-information, which began with the development of the network and was further amplified by the use of social media, we have access to an unlimited range of news. How does our brain react to this constant flow of stimuli?

2005

Studia i Analizy Nauk o Polityce

Demagogy of the media within the virtual perceptual reality of social networks on WWW is information and/or manipulation with the goal of realizing individual and/ or group interests. The social networks which we are using online for information and communication are both the message and the medium. We use it as a classic medium for transmitting, sublimating, creating information with existent feed-back of identical, similar or contradictory intents. The way of presenting us within this media is a kind of message about the intent of the opposing ones but also of those who “follow, read, and communicate with us”. When social networks are used for online journalism, we allow more people access in a difference from “classic” journalism and at the same time we have the possibility that, at the time of creation, we have a commentary on the social networks as well as a kind of marketing of our own messages and of our media. Do we live in the virtual world of real social communication with...

Frontiers in Sociology

This literature review examines the intersection between political polarization and problematic information, two phenomena prominent in recent events like the 2016 Trump election and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed 68 studies out of over 7,000 records using quantitative and qualitative methods. Our review revealed a lack of research on the relationship between political polarization and problematic information and a shortage of theoretical consideration of these phenomena. Additionally, US samples and Twitter and Facebook were frequently analyzed. The review also found that surveys and experiments were commonly used, with polarization significantly predicting problematic information consumption and sharing.