Sowing 'Seeds of Doubt': Cottage Industries of Election and Medical Misinformation in Brazil and the United States
CoRR(2023)
摘要
We conducted ethnographic research with 31 misinformation creators and
consumers in Brazil and the US before, during, and after a major election to
understand the consumption and production of election and medical
misinformation. This study contributes to research on misinformation ecosystems
by focusing on poorly understood small players, or "micro-influencers", who
create misinformation in peer-to-peer networks. We detail four key tactics that
micro-influencers use. First, they typically disseminate "gray area" content
rather than expert-falsified claims, using subtle aesthetic and rhetorical
tactics to evade moderation. Second, they post in small, closed groups where
members feel safe and predisposed to trust content. Third, they explicitly
target misinformation consumers' emotional and social needs. Finally, they post
a high volume of short, repetitive content to plant seeds of doubt and build
trust in influencers as unofficial experts. We discuss the implications these
micro-influencers have for misinformation interventions and platforms' efforts
to moderate misinformation.
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关键词
misinformation,election,brazil,medical
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