University of Kwazulu-Natal

Why Is Misinformation A Problem Aston Research Explorer

Bonisiwe Shabane
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why is misinformation a problem aston research explorer

Zoe Adams, Magda Osman, Christos Bechlivanidis, Björn Meder Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review N2 - In the last decade there has been a proliferation of research on misinformation. One important aspect of this work that receives less attention than it should is exactly why misinformation is a problem. To adequately address this question, we must first look to its speculated causes and effects.

We examined different disciplines (computer science, economics, history, information science, journalism, law, media, politics, philosophy, psychology, sociology) that investigate misinformation. The consensus view points to advancements in information technology (e.g., the Internet, social media) as a main cause of the proliferation and increasing impact of misinformation, with a variety of illustrations of the effects. We critically analyzed both issues. As to the effects, misbehaviors are not yet reliably demonstrated empirically to be the outcome of misinformation; correlation as causation may have a hand in that perception. As to the cause, advancements in information technologies enable, as well as reveal, multitudes of interactions that represent significant deviations from ground truths through people’s new way of knowing (intersubjectivity). This, we argue, is illusionary when understood in light of historical epistemology.

Both doubts we raise are used to consider the cost to established norms of liberal democracy that come from efforts to target the problem of misinformation. AB - In the last decade there has been a proliferation of research on misinformation. One important aspect of this work that receives less attention than it should is exactly why misinformation is a problem. To adequately address this question, we must first look to its speculated causes and effects. We examined different disciplines (computer science, economics, history, information science, journalism, law, media, politics, philosophy, psychology, sociology) that investigate misinformation. The consensus view points to advancements in information technology (e.g., the Internet, social media) as a main cause of the proliferation and increasing impact of misinformation, with a variety of illustrations of the effects.

We critically analyzed both issues. As to the effects, misbehaviors are not yet reliably demonstrated empirically to be the outcome of misinformation; correlation as causation may have a hand in that perception. As to the cause, advancements in information technologies enable, as well as reveal, multitudes of interactions that represent significant deviations from ground truths through people’s new way of knowing (intersubjectivity). This, we argue, is illusionary when understood in light of historical epistemology. Both doubts we raise are used to consider the cost to established norms of liberal democracy that come from efforts to target the problem of misinformation. Magda Osman, University of Cambridge, Centre for Science and Policy Email: m.osman@jbs.cam.ac.uk

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed... In the last decade there has been a proliferation of research on misinformation. One important aspect of this work that receives less attention than it should is exactly why misinformation is a problem. To adequately address this question, we must first look to its speculated causes and effects. We examined different disciplines (computer science, economics, history, information science, journalism, law, media, politics, philosophy, psychology, sociology) that investigate misinformation. The consensus view points to advancements in information technology (e.g., the Internet, social media) as a main cause of the proliferation and increasing impact of misinformation, with a variety of illustrations of the effects.

We critically analyzed both issues. As to the effects, misbehaviors are not yet reliably demonstrated empirically to be the outcome of misinformation; correlation as causation may have a hand in that perception. As to the cause, advancements in information technologies enable, as well as reveal, multitudes of interactions that represent significant deviations from ground truths through people’s new way of knowing (intersubjectivity). This, we argue, is illusionary when understood in light of historical epistemology. Both doubts we raise are used to consider the cost to established norms of liberal democracy that come from efforts to target the problem of misinformation. Keywords: misinformation and disinformation, intersubjectivity, correlation versus causation, free speech

The aim of this review is to answer the question, (Why) is misinformation a problem? We begin the main review with a discussion of definitions of “misinformation” because this, in part motivated our pursuit to answer this question. Incorporating evidence from many disciplines helps us to examine the speculated effects and causes of misinformation, which give some indication of why it might be a problem. Answers in the literature reveal that advancements in information technology are the commonly suspected primary cause of misinformation. However, the reviewed literature shows considerable divergence regarding the assumed outcomes of misinformation. This may not be surprising given the breadth of disciplines involved; researchers in different fields observe effects from different perspectives.

The fact that so many effects of misinformation are reported is not a concern as long as the direct causal link between misinformation and the aberrant behaviors it generates is clear. We emphasize that the evidence provided by studies investigating this relationship is weak. This exposes two issues: one that is empirical, as to the effects of misinformation, and one that is conceptual, as to the cause of the problem of misinformation. We argue that the latter issue has been oversimplified. Uniting the two issues, we propose that the alarm regarding the speculated relationship between misinformation and aberrant societal behaviors appears to be rooted in the increased opportunities through advancements in information technology for people... Magda Osman, Zoe Adams, Björn Meder, Christos Bechlivanidis, Omar Verduga, Colin Strong

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review T1 - People’s understanding of the concept of misinformation N2 - In the main, work has focused on defining and conceptualising the term misinformation, why and how people share misinformation, as well as the consequences for individual behaviour and policy making. Misinformation is an especially live issue in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and the communication that people use to inform their interpretations of risks, and claims about what is needed to reduce exposure... However, we know very little about what the public take the concept of misinformation to mean.

Therefore, here and for other matters of public interest, it is worth understanding what informs the way people report what misinformation means to them. To address this, we present findings from a large scale representative survey (N = 4,407) from four countries (Russia, Turkey, UK, USA) to investigate the various ways in which people understand the concept of... Intentionality appears to matter, where most agreement was for the general description of misinformation as ‘Information that is intentionally designed to mislead’ (69.00%). Relative to other sources (e.g. media, other people), experts (48.38%) and scientific evidence (60.20%) were the most common sources by which to determine that something is misinformation. Finally, looking at specific features of information, misinformation was most associated with information that exaggerated conclusions from facts (49.24%), didn’t provide a complete picture (48.83%), and was presented as fact rather than opinion or...

In general, country and demographic factors (age, gender, education, marital status, employment status) did not appear to distinguish these patterns of responses. This work helps to reveal what people report they take the concept of misinformation to mean, which may inform ways of targeting it. Corresponding Author: Nicola Luigi Bragazzi robertobragazzi@gmail.com Received 2024 Aug 18; Revision requested 2024 Oct 15; Revised 2024 Oct 16; Accepted 2024 Oct 22; Collection date 2024. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR... The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://infodemiology.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

Misinformation represents an evolutionary paradox: despite its harmful impact on society, it persists and evolves, thriving in the information-rich environment of the digital age. This paradox challenges the conventional expectation that detrimental entities should diminish over time. The persistence of misinformation, despite advancements in fact-checking and verification tools, suggests that it possesses adaptive qualities that enable it to survive and propagate. This paper explores how misinformation, as a blend of truth and fiction, continues to resonate with audiences. The role of narratives in human history, particularly in the evolution of Homo narrans, underscores the enduring influence of storytelling on cultural and social cohesion. Despite the increasing ability of individuals to verify the accuracy of sources, misinformation remains a significant challenge, often spreading rapidly through digital platforms.

Current behavioral research tends to treat misinformation as completely irrational, static, finite entities that can be definitively debunked, overlooking their dynamic and evolving nature. This approach limits our understanding of the behavioral and societal factors driving the transformation of misinformation over time. The persistence of misinformation can be attributed to several factors, including its role in fostering social cohesion, its perceived short-term benefits, and its use in strategic deception. Techniques such as extrapolation, intrapolation, deformation, cherry-picking, and fabrication contribute to the production and spread of misinformation. Understanding these processes and the evolutionary advantages they confer is crucial for developing effective strategies to counter misinformation. By promoting transparency, critical thinking, and accurate information, society can begin to address the root causes of misinformation and create a more resilient information environment.

Keywords: misinformation, infodemics, evolutionary theory, fake news, spoof news, fact-checking, digital platform, behavioral research, social cohesion, extrapolation, deformation, fabrication, disinformation, evolutionary paradox, adaptive qualities, strategic deception, intrapolation, health information, public health In the last decade there has been a proliferation of research on misinformation. One important aspect that receives less attention is why exactly misinformation is a problem. To adequately address this question, we must first look to its speculated cause(s) and effect(s). We examine different disciplines (computer science, economics, history, information science, journalism, law, media, politics, philosophy, psychology, sociology) that investigate misinformation. The consensus view points to advancements in information technology (e.g., internet, social media) as a main cause of the proliferation and increasing impact of misinformation, with a variety of illustrations of the effects.

We critically analyse both issues. As to the effects, misbehaviors are not yet reliably demonstrated empirically to be the outcome of misinformation, where correlation as causation may have a hand. As to the cause, advancements in information technologies enable, as well as reveal, multitudes of interactions that implies significant deviations from ground truths through people’s new way of knowing (intersubjectivity). This, we argue, is illusionary when understood in light of historical epistemology. Both doubts we raise are used to consider the cost to established norms of liberal democracy that come from efforts to target the problem of misinformation.

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We critically analyzed both issues. As to the effects, misbehaviors are not yet reliably demonstrated empirically to be the outcome of misinformation; correlation as causation may have a hand in that perception. As to the cause, advancements in information technologies enable, as well as reveal, multitudes of interactions that represent significant deviations from ground truths through people’s ne...

This Article Is Distributed Under The Terms Of The Creative

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed... In the last decade there has been a proliferation of research on misinformation. One important as...