Credibility and Trust
Policymakers, scientists, and journalists have worried for years about declining public trust in their institutions. Are new technologies like social media contributing to this decline, or are they convenient scapegoats for broader forces in society? We discuss research on how populist politics and other anti-elite, anti-institutional movements are intersecting with declining public trust and the rise of alternative epistemologies.
Live Research Review
Latest News on Credibility and Trust
Although a growing body of literature has provided important insight into the conceptualization and consequences of mis- and disinformation, we know little about the construction of communicative (un)truthfulness online. Because (partisan) attributions of dishonesty and inaccuracy may influence citizens’ political opinions, and because accusations of fake news can be used to delegitimize political opponents and […]
By Michael Hameleers
College students, Alec Baldwin or a Russian bot? A Facebook page called North Carolina Breaking News describes itself as “satire/parody” that wants to help President Donald Trump win re-election this fall. The page, which has garnered more than 50,000 followers since it was created Jan. 24, posts a mix of real and fake news. Now […]
By Hayley Fowler
Attempts at Debunking “Fake News” about Epidemics Might Do More Harm Than Good | Scientific American
Was it a bioweapon from a virology institute? Had it been known before and already patented? Could homeopathic remedies help? All of these ideas about the headline-making novel coronavirus disease—now officially called COVID-19—are blatantly false. As with any recent outbreak, from Zika to Ebola, untruths and conspiracy theories spread as quickly as the pathogen itself. […]
By Gary Stix
We still don’t know who won the Democratic Iowa caucuses, largely due to technical issues with an app that precincts were supposed to use to report their results. The official results are now supposed to come out sometime Tuesday. In the meantime, the delay — and concerns about the technical issues — has already begun […]
By German Lopez
Facebook and Twitter are a long way from instilling confidence after letting misinformation flood their services during recent elections, according to a new survey. Most Americans still don’t trust social media as a source of political news. Fifty-nine percent of adults distrust Facebook, the worst showing among major social media sites, according to the Pew […]
By Danielle Abril
Although a growing body of literature has provided important insight into the conceptualization and consequences of mis- and disinformation, we know little about the construction of communicative (un)truthfulness online. Because (partisan) attributions of dishonesty and inaccuracy may influence citizens’ political opinions, and because accusations of fake news can be used to delegitimize political opponents and […]
By Michael HameleersCollege students, Alec Baldwin or a Russian bot? A Facebook page called North Carolina Breaking News describes itself as “satire/parody” that wants to help President Donald Trump win re-election this fall. The page, which has garnered more than 50,000 followers since it was created Jan. 24, posts a mix of real and fake news. Now […]
By Hayley Fowler
Attempts at Debunking “Fake News” about Epidemics Might Do More Harm Than Good | Scientific American
Was it a bioweapon from a virology institute? Had it been known before and already patented? Could homeopathic remedies help? All of these ideas about the headline-making novel coronavirus disease—now officially called COVID-19—are blatantly false. As with any recent outbreak, from Zika to Ebola, untruths and conspiracy theories spread as quickly as the pathogen itself. […]
By Gary StixWe still don’t know who won the Democratic Iowa caucuses, largely due to technical issues with an app that precincts were supposed to use to report their results. The official results are now supposed to come out sometime Tuesday. In the meantime, the delay — and concerns about the technical issues — has already begun […]
By German LopezFacebook and Twitter are a long way from instilling confidence after letting misinformation flood their services during recent elections, according to a new survey. Most Americans still don’t trust social media as a source of political news. Fifty-nine percent of adults distrust Facebook, the worst showing among major social media sites, according to the Pew […]
By Danielle Abril
April 3, 2020 - April 5, 2020