Digital Communication and the “Post-Truth” Era

This chapter presents a discussion about the interconnection between the proliferation of sources of information in a “post-truth” era. In particular, it considers the question of what the concept of “post-truth” actually means in the context of prevailing understandings of veracity and sincerity in discourse and communication. It also places this notion against the broader discursive practice of (de)legitimization and how the digital environment has added layers of complexity to how users – citizens – negotiate information and the idea of truth. In particular, attention is given to how mis- and disinformation in a post-truth context can be proliferated and disseminated in the online context and the specific features of communication the users might utilize to do so. Overall, this chapter explores current understandings of the notion of post-truth in public discourse before focusing more explicitly on how it is used in public discourse by influential actors such as Donald Trump. It will also consider the role that post-truth discourse plays in populist discourse as well the issues posed in broader online communication in the virtual context.