Misinformation, Fake news and Political Communication

Abstract

Brexit, the election of Trump and the most recent US elections clarify the threats posed by fake news and misinformation. The Covid-19 pandemic has even added to this ‘post-truth’ challenge, making clearer than ever how accurate information may be—literally— of vital importance. Conspiracy theories are flourishing, undermining experts’ and politicians’ credibility. This makes questions on how to reduce the spread of misinformation and what explains citizens’ susceptibility more relevant than ever. This panel brings together studies that examine both causes and consequences of misinformation as well as its remedies.

Title	Details
Political online astroturfing in the 2020 United States presidential election campaign	View Paper Details
“That’s just, like, your opinion” - European citizens’ ability to distinguish fact from opinion	View Paper Details
Less informed and misinformed citizens? A panel study of how and why social media influence learning about political news	View Paper Details
Far-right Radicalization on Telegram? A Longitudinal Analysis of QAnon and Identitarian Movement Online Communication during the COVID19-Pandemic	View Paper Details
Getting to see the trees and the forest: tree-based detection of intentionally deceptive news-like content	View Paper Details