Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges
Alarmist narratives about online misinformation continue to gain traction despite evidence that its prevalence and impact are overstated. Drawing on research examining the use of big data in social science and reception studies, we identify six misconceptions about misinformation and highlight the c...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Social Media + Society |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221150412 |
| _version_ | 1797938354139955200 |
|---|---|
| author | Sacha Altay Manon Berriche Alberto Acerbi |
| author_facet | Sacha Altay Manon Berriche Alberto Acerbi |
| author_sort | Sacha Altay |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alarmist narratives about online misinformation continue to gain traction despite evidence that its prevalence and impact are overstated. Drawing on research examining the use of big data in social science and reception studies, we identify six misconceptions about misinformation and highlight the conceptual and methodological challenges they raise. The first set of misconceptions concerns the prevalence and circulation of misinformation. First, scientists focus on social media because it is methodologically convenient, but misinformation is not just a social media problem. Second, the internet is not rife with misinformation or news, but with memes and entertaining content. Third, falsehoods do not spread faster than the truth; how we define (mis)information influences our results and their practical implications. The second set of misconceptions concerns the impact and the reception of misinformation. Fourth, people do not believe everything they see on the internet: the sheer volume of engagement should not be conflated with belief. Fifth, people are more likely to be uninformed than misinformed; surveys overestimate misperceptions and say little about the causal influence of misinformation. Sixth, the influence of misinformation on people’s behavior is overblown as misinformation often “preaches to the choir.” To appropriately understand and fight misinformation, future research needs to address these challenges. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:58:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d7a1628da0df447f8c2f71a51919f73f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-3051 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:58:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Media + Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-d7a1628da0df447f8c2f71a51919f73f2023-01-31T15:33:19ZengSAGE PublishingSocial Media + Society2056-30512023-01-01910.1177/20563051221150412Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological ChallengesSacha Altay0Manon Berriche1Alberto Acerbi2University of Oxford, UKFondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNSP), FranceCentre for Culture and Evolution, Division of Psychology, Brunel University London, UKAlarmist narratives about online misinformation continue to gain traction despite evidence that its prevalence and impact are overstated. Drawing on research examining the use of big data in social science and reception studies, we identify six misconceptions about misinformation and highlight the conceptual and methodological challenges they raise. The first set of misconceptions concerns the prevalence and circulation of misinformation. First, scientists focus on social media because it is methodologically convenient, but misinformation is not just a social media problem. Second, the internet is not rife with misinformation or news, but with memes and entertaining content. Third, falsehoods do not spread faster than the truth; how we define (mis)information influences our results and their practical implications. The second set of misconceptions concerns the impact and the reception of misinformation. Fourth, people do not believe everything they see on the internet: the sheer volume of engagement should not be conflated with belief. Fifth, people are more likely to be uninformed than misinformed; surveys overestimate misperceptions and say little about the causal influence of misinformation. Sixth, the influence of misinformation on people’s behavior is overblown as misinformation often “preaches to the choir.” To appropriately understand and fight misinformation, future research needs to address these challenges.https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221150412 |
| spellingShingle | Sacha Altay Manon Berriche Alberto Acerbi Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges Social Media + Society |
| title | Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges |
| title_full | Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges |
| title_fullStr | Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges |
| title_short | Misinformation on Misinformation: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges |
| title_sort | misinformation on misinformation conceptual and methodological challenges |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221150412 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sachaaltay misinformationonmisinformationconceptualandmethodologicalchallenges AT manonberriche misinformationonmisinformationconceptualandmethodologicalchallenges AT albertoacerbi misinformationonmisinformationconceptualandmethodologicalchallenges |