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Combating Misinformation by Sharing the Truth: a Study on the Spread of Fact-Checks on Social Media

Author

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  • Jiexun Li

    (Western Washington University)

  • Xiaohui Chang

    (Oregon State University)

Abstract

Misinformation on social media has become a horrendous problem in our society. Fact-checks on information often fall behind the diffusion of misinformation, which can lead to negative impacts on society. This research studies how different factors may affect the spread of fact-checks over the internet. We collected a dataset of fact-checks in a six-month period and analyzed how they spread on Twitter. The spread of fact-checks is measured by the total retweet count. The factors/variables include the truthfulness rating, topic of information, source credibility, etc. The research identifies truthfulness rating as a significant factor: conclusive fact-checks (either true or false) tend to be shared more than others. In addition, the source credibility, political leaning, and the sharing count also affect the spread of fact-checks. The findings of this research provide practical insights into accelerating the spread of the truth in the battle against misinformation online.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiexun Li & Xiaohui Chang, 2023. "Combating Misinformation by Sharing the Truth: a Study on the Spread of Fact-Checks on Social Media," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 1479-1493, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:infosf:v:25:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s10796-022-10296-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10796-022-10296-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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