Lichen Zhen, Bei Yan, Jack Lipei Tang, Yuanfeixue Nan, A. Yang
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引用次数: 4
Abstract
Abstract Networked social influence and strategic information manipulation are two social mechanisms fueling misinformation spread in online communities. However, it is unclear how these two mechanisms differ in their impacts. We conducted social network analyses on two online communities sharing misinformation concerning refugees in 2016 and COVID-19 in 2020. The results robustly showed that online misinformation spread is transitive and positively associated with members’ embedded authority (i.e., the extent to which members’ information is exclusively shared within the focal community). At the same time, strategic misinformation sharing by members of high community loyalty (i.e., targeted information sharing within the community) is less likely to gain momentum. The impact of bots on misinformation is contingent. Findings suggest that networked social influence is a more powerful driver of misinformation spread than strategic information manipulation.
期刊介绍：
The Information Society is a multidisciplinary journal intended to answer questions about the Information Age. It provides a forum for thoughtful commentary and discussion of significant topics in the world of information, such as transborder data flow, regulatory issues, the impact of the information industry, information as a determinant of public and private organizational performance, and information and the sovereignty of the public and private organizational performance, and information and the sovereignty of the public. Its papers analyze information policy issues affecting society. Because of the journal"s international perspective, it will have worldwide appeal to scientists and policymakers in government, education, and industry.
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