Global Crisis or Overblown Problem? Three Tools to Clarify Contentious Issues in Misinformation Research

Alongside the rapid expansion of misinformation research, a line of academic arguments has emerged questioning its relevance and legitimacy. We dissect three key issues shaping the current debate: the prevalence of misinformation, its causal role, and the legitimacy of misinformation research. To bring more clarity to these contentious issues, we introduce three conceptual tools—the (Mis)information Funnel, the (Mis)information System, and the (Mis)information Lens, and use them to demonstrate how to move research on misinformation forward and systematically map future research directions. Our analysis shows that there are fewer genuine disagreements in this field than it seems at first glance, and that those that persist do not invalidate misinformation research. Different positions on each issue imply different directions, both for future misinformation research and policy making. Our analysis is, therefore, relevant not only for misinformation researchers, but also for practitioners and the general public.