Misinformation in Digital Media

News containing misinformation displayed on phone.

Misinformation in digital media is a subset of misinformation, which is false or misleading information. 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 media 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. Digital media comes in a variety of different forms, each of which is susceptible to producing misinformation in unique ways. Misinformation has the ability to affect all aspects of life, with heavy influence in societal state, politics, health, and industry. The resulting decline of the overall accuracy of information results in negative consequences. Countering misinformation appears as a complicated topic since the media platforms must establish a balance between upholding free speech and preventing misinformation. Users and communities, on the other hand, have much greater power when it comes to making conscious choices regarding the information they consume. The development of technology targeting misinformation also contributes to the process. In recent years, the topic of misinformation has become a source of debates due to the complicated relationship between its influence and regulation.

History

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. 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. 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. 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

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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. 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. 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. 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

Social Implications

One of the major social concerns of digital misinformation is that it can cause social divides through the distribution of false narratives, which introduces fear and mistrust among different groups of people. For example, the labeling of the Coronavirus as “Chinese virus” led to an increased number of hate crimes towards Asians in the United States. Situations like this creates a polarized society, which in turn makes it more challenging for politicians and constituents to find common ground in addressing them. Misinformation can also contribute to the spread of conspiracy theories, which undermines public trust in each other and in the government. Conspiracy theories can gain traction quickly, and become difficult to eliminate. Not only can they stress the relationship between certain groups of people, but also it can result in dangerous events. For instance, conspiracy theories alleging that the 2020 United States presidential election was rigged played a role in the U.S. Capitol Riot in January of 2021. As such, these forms of misinformation present concerns for their resulting societal unrest.

Political Implications

One of the major political concerns of digital misinformation is that it can lead to the erosion of public trust in the government and the media. The constant circulation of misinformation renders it increasingly difficult for people to differentiate between what is real and what is not. As a result, it becomes challenging for politicians to communicate with their constituents and for policies to be implemented effectively. Another concern stems from the potential of digital misinformation in influencing elections and public opinion. Misinformation can sway the beliefs of people, leading to a distorted understanding of political issues. Politicians can also denounce negative information about them as misinformation, which complicates the truth. For instance, Donald Trump dismissed news stories that he did not like as fake news during the 2016 United States presidential election. Thus, these forms of misinformation potentially have a significant impact on election outcomes and the stability of society. Without accurate and transparent information, the maintenance of a healthy and functional democracy becomes difficult.

Health Implications

One of the major health concerns of digital misinformation is that it can prevent people from seeking necessary medical attention. When misinformation about certain treatments for illnesses causes someone to refuse or delay proper medical care, it often leads to increased risk of progression and serious complications. Another concern arises from the possibility that misinformation can encourage people to adopt harmful practices. Misinformation about the benefits of certain substances and activities may result in actions that expose people to unnecessary risks. Misinformation can also increase the spread of infectious diseases, where the implementation of false information about their cause, transmission, and treatment leads to behaviors that increase the risk of infection and the spread of disease. The COVID-19 pandemic embodies this concern, where misleading information about the vaccine and mask policy contributed to the high volume of cases. Once discovered, such forms of misinformation quickly spreads among communities. Not only do they carry detrimental consequences, but also they undermine public trust in the healthcare providers. The decreased trust makes it more difficult for healthcare providers to effectively treat and prevent illnesses.

Industrial Implications

One of the major industrial concerns of digital misinformation is that it can be used in industrial propaganda. Through tools such as advertising, companies can distort reliable evidence and influence public belief. For instance, tobacco companies utilized misinformation to downplay the connection between smoking and lung cancer that numerous studies have proven. Another concern originates from the ability of companies to gain competitive advantages with misinformation. Companies can use misinformation to mislead potential customers about the benefits of their product. They can also similarly downplay the success of their competitors’ products. While laws exist to counter these types of behavior, there exists some loopholes that companies can take advantage of. Misinformation in the financial industry can result in devastating consequences to the economy. The misleading bundling of subprime mortgages into mortgage-backed securities by banks helped trigger the 2008 Financial Crisis. In a financially driven society, the distribution of misinformation for financial advantage greatly concerns researchers.

Countering Misinformation

Limitations

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. 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.

Information Literacy

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. 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. 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.