Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguation
Social media platforms have long been considered a source of polarization. They are also considered a key mechanism for amplifying misinformation and spreading false, distorted, and decontextualized information. In such polarized environments, fact-checking interventions are of the utmost importanc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Revista Internacional de Sociología |
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| Online Access: | https://revintsociologia.revistas.csic.es/index.php/revintsociologia/article/view/1305 |
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| author | Natalia Aruguete Ernesto Calvo |
| author_facet | Natalia Aruguete Ernesto Calvo |
| author_sort | Natalia Aruguete |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Social media platforms have long been considered a source of polarization. They are also considered a key mechanism for amplifying misinformation and spreading false, distorted, and decontextualized information. In such polarized environments, fact-checking interventions are of the utmost importance. This article aims to understand whether polarizing partisan messages also hinder the circulation of fact-checking corrections. Specifically, we test whether exposure to polarizing political messages next to fact-checking messages alters the propensity of users to share messages (destructive interference) or increases their circulation (constructive interference). Using a survey experiment conducted in Argentina during the National Midterm Election of 2022, we measure the propensity to share fact checks when placed alongside partisan messages. Our results show that polarizing political messages increase the propensity to share fact checks (constructive interference) instead of reducing circulation. This is a positive outcome, demonstrating that interventions to reduce the spread of misinformation are more likely to be shared in partisan political environments. Therefore, while polarization increases the rate at which misinformation is produced, it may also facilitate the circulation of its corrections.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-277cef1db0b9482883abfed73402b87e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0034-9712 1988-429X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Internacional de Sociología |
| spelling | doaj-art-277cef1db0b9482883abfed73402b87e2025-02-05T06:52:25ZengConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasRevista Internacional de Sociología0034-97121988-429X2024-12-0182410.3989/ris.2024.82.4.1305Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguationNatalia Aruguete0Ernesto Calvo1Conicet & Universidad Nacional de QuilmesUniversidad de Maryland Social media platforms have long been considered a source of polarization. They are also considered a key mechanism for amplifying misinformation and spreading false, distorted, and decontextualized information. In such polarized environments, fact-checking interventions are of the utmost importance. This article aims to understand whether polarizing partisan messages also hinder the circulation of fact-checking corrections. Specifically, we test whether exposure to polarizing political messages next to fact-checking messages alters the propensity of users to share messages (destructive interference) or increases their circulation (constructive interference). Using a survey experiment conducted in Argentina during the National Midterm Election of 2022, we measure the propensity to share fact checks when placed alongside partisan messages. Our results show that polarizing political messages increase the propensity to share fact checks (constructive interference) instead of reducing circulation. This is a positive outcome, demonstrating that interventions to reduce the spread of misinformation are more likely to be shared in partisan political environments. Therefore, while polarization increases the rate at which misinformation is produced, it may also facilitate the circulation of its corrections. https://revintsociologia.revistas.csic.es/index.php/revintsociologia/article/view/1305affective polarizationfact checkingsocial mediaArgentinaDisambiguation |
| spellingShingle | Natalia Aruguete Ernesto Calvo Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguation Revista Internacional de Sociología affective polarization fact checking social media Argentina Disambiguation |
| title | Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguation |
| title_full | Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguation |
| title_fullStr | Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguation |
| title_short | Sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments: A study of context and disambiguation |
| title_sort | sharing fact checking corrections in polarized political environments a study of context and disambiguation |
| topic | affective polarization fact checking social media Argentina Disambiguation |
| url | https://revintsociologia.revistas.csic.es/index.php/revintsociologia/article/view/1305 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nataliaaruguete sharingfactcheckingcorrectionsinpolarizedpoliticalenvironmentsastudyofcontextanddisambiguation AT ernestocalvo sharingfactcheckingcorrectionsinpolarizedpoliticalenvironmentsastudyofcontextanddisambiguation |