2 - Misinformation and Disinformation in Social Media

In today’s social and political climate, social media acts as a breeding ground for misinformation. Social media has allowed information to be spread almost instantly without many safeguards to verify if it is true or false. The spread of misinformation on social media has become a huge issue, especially in terms of political content. 

According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), misinformation is defined as false information that is not shared with deceptive intentions. Disinformation, on the other hand, is false information that is shared with the purpose of manipulation. Malinformation is true information that is construed in a misleading way. Social media algorithms allow posts with misinformation to gain popularity quickly, causing false information to spread like wildfire. 

Algorithms are the bread and butter of social media companies. These algorithms are what keep users engaged in content for longer periods of time, which is what makes money for the companies through ad revenue. In the video linked below, Jennifer Golbeck, a computer scientist and professor at the University of Maryland, asserts that extreme, conspiracy-driven content is pushed onto audiences because it is more intriguing and likely to make the user stay on the website or app. According to her, a large part of the January 6th Attack can be attributed to how algorithms work on social media.  

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When these algorithms promote similar posts to a user, they are inadvertently creating an echo chamber. An echo chamber is a situation where someone is repeatedly revealed limited information and opinions that reflect their own. Echo chambers are incredibly easy to fall into while using social media, and they are also incredibly dangerous. Understanding multiple perspectives regarding an issue is important when forming your own opinion. 

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Many social media companies are not taking enough action to prevent the spread of misinformation on their site, though there have been a few recent exceptions. X, for example, has been implementing a tool called Community Notes, formerly known as Birdwatch, since 2021. These notes, created by the community, are displayed publicly on posts that contain false information. A team of contributors made up of regular X users scour the site for misinformation and are also notified when someone makes a request to add a note to a post. 

An example of a Community Note on a post about Kamala Harris wearing audio earrings during the last presidential debate. 

Even Community Notes has its flaws, though, according to Wired. For example, giving users control over accurately identifying false information has led to arguments within community notes as well as mislabelling posts as false information. The lack of moderation has led to a decrease in holding the users who spread misinformation accountable. 

Misinformation in social media is becoming a serious concern, especially with the presidential election currently happening. Posts with false information can impact the public's opinion if taken at face value. Further research is key in not falling victim to misinformation on social media.