University of Kwazulu-Natal

Public Discourse And The Misconceptions Surrounding Social Media

Bonisiwe Shabane
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public discourse and the misconceptions surrounding social media

What Public Discourse Gets Wrong about Social Media Misinformation The proliferation of misinformation on social media platforms has become a pressing societal concern, sparking heated debates and prompting calls for greater regulation. However, current public discourse often oversimplifies the issue, focusing narrowly on platform accountability while neglecting the complex interplay of factors that contribute to the spread of false or misleading information. This article delves into the nuances of social media misinformation, examining the limitations of prevailing narratives and offering a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. A dominant narrative in the public sphere frames social media platforms as the primary culprits in the misinformation crisis, portraying them as irresponsible actors prioritizing profit over the well-being of their users. While platforms undoubtedly bear some responsibility for the content hosted on their services, this narrative overlooks the crucial role of individual users in creating and disseminating misinformation.

Focusing solely on platform accountability risks neglecting the underlying societal factors that contribute to the susceptibility of individuals to false information. Another common misconception is the belief that misinformation spreads primarily through coordinated disinformation campaigns orchestrated by malicious actors. While such campaigns certainly exist and can have significant impact, research suggests that much of the misinformation circulating online originates from ordinary users inadvertently sharing false or misleading content. This highlights the importance of media literacy and critical thinking skills in combating the spread of misinformation. Furthermore, public discourse often fails to adequately address the diversity of motivations behind the creation and dissemination of misinformation. While some individuals may intentionally spread false information for political or financial gain, others may do so out of genuine belief or a desire to belong to a particular online community.

Understanding these diverse motivations is crucial for developing effective interventions. The following article was originally published by Annenberg School of Communications. In 2006, Facebook launched its News Feed feature, sparking seemingly endless contentious public discourse on the power of the “social media algorithm” in shaping what people see online. Nearly two decades and many recommendation algorithm tweaks later, this discourse continues, now laser-focused on whether social media recommendation algorithms are primarily responsible for exposure to online misinformation and extremist content. Researchers at the Computational Social Science Lab (CSSLab) at the University of Pennsylvania, led by Stevens University Professor Duncan Watts, study Americans’ news consumption. In a new article in Nature, Watts, along with David Rothschild of Microsoft Research, Ceren Budak of the University of Michigan, Brendan Nyhan of Dartmouth College, and Emily Thorson of Syracuse University, review years...

A broad claim like “it is well known that social media amplifies misinformation and other harmful content,” recently published in The New York Times, might catch people’s attention, but it isn’t supported by empirical... What Public Discourse Gets Wrong about Social Media Misinformation The spread of misinformation on social media platforms has become a significant concern in recent years, impacting public health, political discourse, and societal trust. However, popular narratives surrounding this issue often oversimplify the problem and misdirect potential solutions. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving misinformation is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat it. This article examines the complexities of social media misinformation, highlighting key misconceptions and offering a more nuanced perspective.

One common misconception is the focus on individual "bad actors" as the primary source of misinformation. While malicious actors undoubtedly contribute to the problem, emphasizing individual culpability overlooks the systemic issues at play. The algorithms that govern social media platforms are designed to maximize engagement, often inadvertently amplifying sensationalized and emotionally charged content, regardless of its veracity. Furthermore, the networked structure of social media facilitates the rapid dissemination of information, making it challenging to contain the spread of false narratives. Addressing misinformation requires a shift from blaming individuals to understanding and reforming the underlying architecture of these platforms. Another oversimplification is the belief that simply providing accurate information will counter the effects of misinformation.

The "deficit model" of communication, which assumes that people lack knowledge and will readily accept corrective information, fails to account for the complex psychological and social factors influencing belief formation. People often cling to existing beliefs, even in the face of contradictory evidence, especially when those beliefs are tied to their social identity or political affiliations. Moreover, the sheer volume of information available online creates an "infodemic," making it difficult for individuals to discern credible sources from misleading ones. Effective countermeasures require acknowledging the cognitive biases and social dynamics that shape belief and developing strategies that address these underlying factors. The role of social media companies in combating misinformation is also often misrepresented. While these companies have a responsibility to address the issue, calls for censorship and content moderation raise complex questions about free speech and the potential for bias.

Striking a balance between protecting users from harmful content and respecting freedom of expression is a challenging task, requiring careful consideration of ethical and legal implications. Furthermore, solely relying on platform-based solutions ignores the broader societal context in which misinformation thrives. Addressing the root causes of misinformation requires collaborative efforts involving not only social media companies but also policymakers, educators, researchers, and civil society organizations. Furthermore, social media organizations need to provide corrections to misinformation and point out that information may be wrong or misleading. Second, the findings highlight the importance of media literacy education (Chen et al., 2022; Fendt et al., 2023). These media literacy programs should promote critical thinking skills and provide concrete strategies and techniques individuals can deploy for fact-checking and verifying information.

Edited by: Titus Alexander, Democracy Matters, United Kingdom Reviewed by: Michael Briguglio, University of Malta, Malta *Correspondence: Lucia Picarella, lpicarella@ucatolica.edu.co Received 2024 Jan 24; Accepted 2024 Mar 7; Collection date 2024. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted...

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