Difference between revisions of "Misinformation in Digital Media"

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Misinformation in digital publishing is a subset of misinformation, which is false or misleading information<ref>Heldt, A. (2019). Let’s Meet Halfway: Sharing New Responsibilities in a Digital Age. Journal of Information Policy, 9, 336–369. https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0336</ref>. Instances of misinformation have been recorded throughout history, dating back as far as written records exist. The advancement of technology in modern times resulted in digital publishing becoming the primary source of information for most people. At the same time, it created an avenue for misinformation to spread quickly and to more people. People generally gravitate towards media that aligns with their inherent biases, which renders them more prone to the misinformation coming from those sources. Social media, which possesses lax requirements for posts, played a critical role in the spread of such misinformation. Misinformation has the ability to affect all aspects of life, from health to politics<ref>BESSI, A., & QUATTROCIOCCHI, W. (2015). Disintermediation: Digital Wildfires in the Age of Misinformation. AQ: Australian Quarterly, 86(4), 34–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24877660</ref>. The resulting decline of the overall accuracy of information produces negative implications. Countering misinformation appears as a complicated topic since the media platforms must establish a balance between upholding free speech and preventing misinformation. Users, on the other hand, have much greater power when it comes to making conscious choices regarding the information they consume<ref>ZUCKER, A. (2019). Using critical thinking to counter misinformation. Science Scope, 42(8), 6–9. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26898998</ref>. In recent years, the topic of misinformation has become a source of debates due to the complicated relationship between its influence and regulation.  
 
Misinformation in digital publishing is a subset of misinformation, which is false or misleading information<ref>Heldt, A. (2019). Let’s Meet Halfway: Sharing New Responsibilities in a Digital Age. Journal of Information Policy, 9, 336–369. https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0336</ref>. Instances of misinformation have been recorded throughout history, dating back as far as written records exist. The advancement of technology in modern times resulted in digital publishing becoming the primary source of information for most people. At the same time, it created an avenue for misinformation to spread quickly and to more people. People generally gravitate towards media that aligns with their inherent biases, which renders them more prone to the misinformation coming from those sources. Social media, which possesses lax requirements for posts, played a critical role in the spread of such misinformation. Misinformation has the ability to affect all aspects of life, from health to politics<ref>BESSI, A., & QUATTROCIOCCHI, W. (2015). Disintermediation: Digital Wildfires in the Age of Misinformation. AQ: Australian Quarterly, 86(4), 34–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24877660</ref>. The resulting decline of the overall accuracy of information produces negative implications. Countering misinformation appears as a complicated topic since the media platforms must establish a balance between upholding free speech and preventing misinformation. Users, on the other hand, have much greater power when it comes to making conscious choices regarding the information they consume<ref>ZUCKER, A. (2019). Using critical thinking to counter misinformation. Science Scope, 42(8), 6–9. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26898998</ref>. In recent years, the topic of misinformation has become a source of debates due to the complicated relationship between its influence and regulation.  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 +
=== Pre-Internet Era ===
 +
=== The Internet Age ===
 
Early examples of misinformation date back to 15th century Europe, where political rivals attempted to smear each other's reputation through various writings<ref>Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H., Seifert, C. M., Schwarz, N., & Cook, J. (2012). Misinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and Successful Debiasing. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 13(3), 106–131. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23484653</ref>. The first recorded instance of large-scale misinformation was the Great Moon Hoax, a series of six articles describing life on the Moon that ''The Sun'' published in 1835<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misinformation#Countering_misinformation</ref>. The advancement of technology, specifically the invention of the Internet, significantly changed the manner in which misinformation spreads. The broad influence of digital publications causes potential misinformation to spread rapidly. During the 2016 United States presidential election, content from websites deemed untrustworthy reached a significant percentage of Americans even though misinformation only made up only a small percentage overall news media. What concerned experts was the exponential influence of misinformation, which will become increasingly problematic as misinformation in general constantly increases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation spread about the virus and the preventative measures contributed to the difficulty in containing rising cases<ref>Broadbent, J. J. (2019). Vaccine hesitancy: misinformation on social media. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 366, 1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27177173</ref>. While misinformation can be intentional or unintentional, a general lack of literacy in identifying it causes people to become susceptible to it. Studies have shown that people are becoming more proficient at discerning misinformation. Polls taken in recent years reported that a historically low percentage of Americans trust the mass media fully accurately and completely, a positive sign for the state of online literacy.
 
Early examples of misinformation date back to 15th century Europe, where political rivals attempted to smear each other's reputation through various writings<ref>Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H., Seifert, C. M., Schwarz, N., & Cook, J. (2012). Misinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and Successful Debiasing. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 13(3), 106–131. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23484653</ref>. The first recorded instance of large-scale misinformation was the Great Moon Hoax, a series of six articles describing life on the Moon that ''The Sun'' published in 1835<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misinformation#Countering_misinformation</ref>. The advancement of technology, specifically the invention of the Internet, significantly changed the manner in which misinformation spreads. The broad influence of digital publications causes potential misinformation to spread rapidly. During the 2016 United States presidential election, content from websites deemed untrustworthy reached a significant percentage of Americans even though misinformation only made up only a small percentage overall news media. What concerned experts was the exponential influence of misinformation, which will become increasingly problematic as misinformation in general constantly increases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation spread about the virus and the preventative measures contributed to the difficulty in containing rising cases<ref>Broadbent, J. J. (2019). Vaccine hesitancy: misinformation on social media. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 366, 1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27177173</ref>. While misinformation can be intentional or unintentional, a general lack of literacy in identifying it causes people to become susceptible to it. Studies have shown that people are becoming more proficient at discerning misinformation. Polls taken in recent years reported that a historically low percentage of Americans trust the mass media fully accurately and completely, a positive sign for the state of online literacy.
  

Revision as of 23:25, 9 February 2023

News containing misinformation displayed on phone.[1]

Misinformation in digital publishing is a subset of misinformation, which is false or misleading information[2]. Instances of misinformation have been recorded throughout history, dating back as far as written records exist. The advancement of technology in modern times resulted in digital publishing becoming the primary source of information for most people. At the same time, it created an avenue for misinformation to spread quickly and to more people. People generally gravitate towards media that aligns with their inherent biases, which renders them more prone to the misinformation coming from those sources. Social media, which possesses lax requirements for posts, played a critical role in the spread of such misinformation. Misinformation has the ability to affect all aspects of life, from health to politics[3]. The resulting decline of the overall accuracy of information produces negative implications. Countering misinformation appears as a complicated topic since the media platforms must establish a balance between upholding free speech and preventing misinformation. Users, on the other hand, have much greater power when it comes to making conscious choices regarding the information they consume[4]. In recent years, the topic of misinformation has become a source of debates due to the complicated relationship between its influence and regulation.

History

Pre-Internet Era

The Internet Age

Early examples of misinformation date back to 15th century Europe, where political rivals attempted to smear each other's reputation through various writings[5]. The first recorded instance of large-scale misinformation was the Great Moon Hoax, a series of six articles describing life on the Moon that The Sun published in 1835[6]. The advancement of technology, specifically the invention of the Internet, significantly changed the manner in which misinformation spreads. The broad influence of digital publications causes potential misinformation to spread rapidly. During the 2016 United States presidential election, content from websites deemed untrustworthy reached a significant percentage of Americans even though misinformation only made up only a small percentage overall news media. What concerned experts was the exponential influence of misinformation, which will become increasingly problematic as misinformation in general constantly increases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation spread about the virus and the preventative measures contributed to the difficulty in containing rising cases[7]. While misinformation can be intentional or unintentional, a general lack of literacy in identifying it causes people to become susceptible to it. Studies have shown that people are becoming more proficient at discerning misinformation. Polls taken in recent years reported that a historically low percentage of Americans trust the mass media fully accurately and completely, a positive sign for the state of online literacy.

Sources of Misinformation

News Media

Social Media

Podcasts

In the past, the news media industry offered consumers a limited amount of news offerings that were consistent in nature. In contrast, consumers today have access to an abundance of news offerings targeting different groups of people. As a result, consumers often choose news sources that conform with their inherent biases[8]. This trend dramatically increases the likelihood that consumers receive misinformed information. Instead of using traditional online news sources, a high percentage of Americans began using social media as their main news source in recent years[9]. Since social media has less requirements for posts than traditional news sources, it is thus also more likely to for people to both spread and receive misinformation on the plethora of platforms. Companies such as Google and Yahoo developed algorithms to personalize consumers' news feeds based on their interest and beliefs, resulting in two people concurrently searching for the same thing receiving unique, customized results[10]. Such algorithms in news functions build upon the notion of consumers actively selecting news sources matching their biases by simplifying the process for them, thus rendering consumers more susceptible to specific types misinformation that appeal to them. Thus, the competition for customers by news media companies inadvertently created an environment in which misinformation can thrive without much resistance.

Ethical Concerns

The effects of misinformation apply to most aspects of life, creating unique challenges for different groups to address. For instance, political misinformation is seen as especially detrimental since it can potentially alter democracy and society in general in a negative manner. Misinformation in safety critical fields such as healthcare results in poor health decisions[11]. On the other hand, the ethics of suppressing misinformation is also a highly debated topic. In countries such as the United States, the freedom of speech appears as a fundamental right; as such, it also extends to the rights of publishing information to the media. Free speech activists have argued that the removal of information, even if it is inaccurate, violates the basic right[12]. As a result, finding common ground between free speech and misinformation became a delicate subject both legally and morally. While laws against misinformation only apply to specific categories such as defamation and campaign speeches, companies have also started to implement infrastructure to reduce it within the bounds of free speech.

Countering Misinformation

News media companies typically work around the clock to broadcast the latest news stories in order to gain a larger audience share. The volume and speed at which news publishings are created does not support comprehensive fact-checking[13]. One proposed method of countering misinformation in digital publishing is through validation by the consumers themselves, where they can report content that is false or misleading; the content will then be corrected or removed. Another similar method is to implement a point-based system, where users can upvote credible news sources while downvoting inaccurate ones. An example of this mechanism is Reddit, where members of news-based subreddits such as r/worldnews can upvote or downvote posts. The corresponding points associated with each post was found to be indicative of its completeness and accuracy. Additionally, members can check the posters' post history and karma to determine whether they are credible. While these methods of countering misinformation have the potential to be effective, they can still produce false positives or false negatives based on the biases of the user demographic. Websites such as FactCheck.org have been created to objectively check news for misinformation[14]. A combination of automated and human moderation of misinformation appeared especially effective as a countermeasure to misinformation. Despite the development of such preventative methods, experts conclude that the most effective way remains as thoroughly educating the society about identifying and avoiding misinformation[15].

References

  1. ↑ Brown, S. (2022, January 5). Study: Digital Literacy doesn't stop the spread of misinformation. MIT Sloan. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/study-digital-literacy-doesnt-stop-spread-misinformation
  2. ↑ Heldt, A. (2019). Let’s Meet Halfway: Sharing New Responsibilities in a Digital Age. Journal of Information Policy, 9, 336–369. https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0336
  3. ↑ BESSI, A., & QUATTROCIOCCHI, W. (2015). Disintermediation: Digital Wildfires in the Age of Misinformation. AQ: Australian Quarterly, 86(4), 34–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24877660
  4. ↑ ZUCKER, A. (2019). Using critical thinking to counter misinformation. Science Scope, 42(8), 6–9. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26898998
  5. ↑ Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H., Seifert, C. M., Schwarz, N., & Cook, J. (2012). Misinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and Successful Debiasing. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 13(3), 106–131. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23484653
  6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misinformation#Countering_misinformation
  7. ↑ Broadbent, J. J. (2019). Vaccine hesitancy: misinformation on social media. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 366, 1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27177173
  8. ↑ Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H., Seifert, C. M., Schwarz, N., & Cook, J. (2012). Misinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and Successful Debiasing. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 13(3), 106–131. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23484653
  9. ↑ Heldt, A. (2019). Let’s Meet Halfway: Sharing New Responsibilities in a Digital Age. Journal of Information Policy, 9, 336–369. https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0336
  10. ↑ ZUCKER, A. (2019). Using critical thinking to counter misinformation. Science Scope, 42(8), 6–9. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26898998
  11. ↑ Broadbent, J. J. (2019). Vaccine hesitancy: misinformation on social media. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 366, 1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27177173
  12. ↑ Kornbluh, K., Goodman, E. P., & Weiner, E. (2020). Safeguarding Digital Democracy: Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative Roadmap. German Marshall Fund of the United States. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep24545
  13. ↑ BESSI, A., & QUATTROCIOCCHI, W. (2015). Disintermediation: Digital Wildfires in the Age of Misinformation. AQ: Australian Quarterly, 86(4), 34–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24877660
  14. ↑ Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H., Seifert, C. M., Schwarz, N., & Cook, J. (2012). Misinformation and Its Correcti
  15. ↑ Walsh, M. (2015). Misinformation Age: Court weighs the right to sue an Internet data site. ABA Journal, 101(11), 19–20. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24806728
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