seddington@email.fielding.edu
Our closest relationships, our professional relationships, and the management of our health and well-being are rooted in the need for trust amongst all involved parties. Even the strength of our democracy requires citizens to have trust and confidence in the people we elect to public office to represent our best interests. What happens when that trust is broken, and we can no longer have confidence that those we count on are telling us the truth? These are issues we must confront in an era when truth, and a shared understanding of how we determine what is true, are under attack in what has been deemed a post-truth era.
A study of what makes people trust and rely on news found 85% of the respondents consider accuracy a critical reason they would trust a source (American Press Institute, 2016). Yet, the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and the United Kingdom Brexit campaign, led Oxford Learners Dictionary to declare post-truth the word of the year in 2016 (Oxford University Press, 2016). The Oxford Dictionary (2016) concluded that post-truth is an adjective defined as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” More than a decade before post-truth became a part of the everyday lexicon, the concept of self-declared truths made its debut during an episode of The Colbert Report, a political satire from comedian Stephen Colbert on the TV show, Comedy Central. Colbert labeled the phenomenon ‘truthiness’ (Colbert, 2005). He explained the difference in leaders’ decision-making approach as “those who think with their head, and those who feel with their heart” (Colbert, 2005).
Media outlets or news organizations are a protected class written into the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing the rights of a free press (Cornell Law School, n.d.). However, not all sources of news and information are committed to accuracy and veracity in their reporting or commentary. As opposed to serving as a source of thoughtful and accurate reporting, some publications are noted for their practice of disregarding evidence or willfully reporting lies, sharing conspiracy theories, and misinforming their audiences. Noted writer and journalist, Walter Lippman (1933) wrote, “Ours is a problem in which deception has become organized and strong; where truth is poisoned at its source; one in which the skill of the shrewdest brains is devoted to misleading a bewildered people.” His commentary was written nearly a century ago, but it is certainly relevant in the 21st century. Lippman believed journalism should adhere to a relatively scientific method of collecting and reporting news and information, with the process anchored by the study of evidence and verification.
With an estimated 7.7 billion people using social media as a tool for information and entertainment, its reach is unparalleled (Dean, 2021). Social media platforms are ideal tools to reach huge audiences quickly and inexpensively. Because nearly half of all Americans turn to social media for news and information (Walker & Matsa, 2021), they are more likely to encounter disinformation. The consequences for people who believe disinformation can have life threatening repercussions, as shown by the number of people who believed disinformation about Covid-19 vaccinations with life threatening consequences (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2021). Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, acknowledged the challenges in moderating content on an open platform designed to give everyone a voice (2021). Zuckerberg shared the findings from internal research Natural Engagement Pattern that demonstrated the inclination of people to “engage disproportionately with more sensationalist and provocative content” (Zuckerburg, 2021).
Besides the various platforms’ own attempts to moderate content, it is imperative that independent sources develop effective methods to manage content, so misinformation and disinformation do not disrupt society. The advocacy group The Integrity Institute developed the Misinformation Amplification Tracking Dashboard to measure the extent to which “platforms are amplifying misinformation, and the extent to which they are creating an incentive structure that rewards lies and misinformation online” (Allen, 2022). Their research was a comparative analysis of the most popular social media platforms and the algorithms used to distribute content. They relied on information from the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), a global community of fact-checkers and others who advocate for fact-based information, in a united fight against misinformation (Poynter, 2023).
The Union of Concerned Scientists (2021) conducted a study of methods used by those who spread misinformation about Covid-19. They offered suggestions on how to spot it and, how to stop the spread, which offers a thoughtful approach to address misinformation beyond Covid. Their primary recommendation was to not share the information, even if the intention is to dispute it. Instead, they suggest the use of “the fact-myth-fallacy framework: lead with the facts, then provide a summary of the disinformation and, an explanation of how or why it distorts the science.” Fortunately, there are organizations around the world committed to striking back against the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Media psychologists can play an important role as contributors to the growing body of organizations and individuals committed to this work. As the late Congressman and civil rights activist, John Lewis once stated, “if not us, who? If not now, when?
References
Allen, J. (2022) Misinformation amplification analysis tracking and dashboard. Retrieved from https://integrityinstitute.org/blog/misinformation-amplification-tracking-dashboard.
American Press Institute (N.D.) The lost meaning of ‘objectivity,’. Retrieved from https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/bias-objectivity/lost-meaning-objectivity/
Associated Press (2021) Fox News and three hosts sued for $2.7 billion by voting machine company over election-fraud claims. https://apnews.com/article/smartmatic-sues-fox-news-giuliani-2a8d83df2e6d73b750dd85f92f4fd7ef
Colbert, S (2005). The Colbert Report. Retrieved from https://www.cc.com/video/63ite2/the-colbert-report-the-word-truthiness
Cornell Law School (n.d.) Freedom of press overview. Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-1/freedom-of-press-overview
Dean, B. (2021) Social network usage and growth statistics: How many people use social media in 2022? Retrieved from https://backlinko.com/social-media-users
Harsin, J. 2018. Post-truth and critical communication studies. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.757
Lippmann W. (1933). A preface to politics. Macmillan.
Media Insight Project (2016) A new understanding: What makes people trust and rely on news. Retrieved from https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/trust-news/
Oxford University Press (2016) Word of the year. Retrieved from https://languages.oup.com/word-of-the-year/2016/
Union of Concerned Scientists (2021) Covid-19 disinformation: How to spot it and stop it. Retrieved from https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/covid-19-disinformation
Walker, M. & Matsa, K. (2021) News consumption across social media in 2021. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/09/20/news-consumption-across-social-media-in-2021/
Zuckerburg, M. (2021). A blueprint for content governance and enforcement. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/notes/751449002072082/
