Moral panics about the integrity of information in democratic systems:Comparing tabloid news to disinformation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Contemporary concerns about the integrity of information are not easily dismissible as merely a perennial cycle of moral panic. In an attempt to provide context and map territory for future research, this conceptual paper draws comparisons between disinformation, the deliberate fabrication and dissemination of false information, and tabloid news – a news format with a century’s old reputation for sparking consternation over journalistic truth telling. Sociological functions, information economy particularities, and message packaging features are comparatively scrutinized, revealing areas of divergence, convergence, and symbiotic interface between disinformation and tabloid news that likely afford the success of both formats.