Belief That “News Will Find Me” Linked to Sharing Fake News, Study Finds

Social media users who believe “news will find them” more likely to share fake content, study finds

A groundbreaking study has revealed that people who passively consume news through social media are more prone to sharing false or misleading information online, often without realizing it. The research, published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, identifies what researchers call the “news-finds-me perception” as a key factor in the spread of misinformation.

While previous research on fake news has often focused on deliberate disinformation campaigns or automated bots, this study highlights how everyday social media users inadvertently become vectors for false information. The phenomenon particularly affects those who rely on passive news exposure through their social networks rather than actively seeking information from verified sources.

“People increasingly rely on serendipitous encounters with news, as opposed to actively seeking it out, to be informed,” explained study author Scott W. Campbell, a professor and Rinehart Chair in Mediated Communication at The Ohio State University. “This study extends previous research on this ‘news-finds-me’ perception by showing it can lead to sharing news that is inaccurate or exaggerated.”

The research team conducted a longitudinal survey spanning seven months, from August 2022 to March 2023, involving 337 American adults who self-identified as having strong “Alt-Right” beliefs. All participants were white, regular social media users who politically leaned Republican. The sample was slightly female-dominant (55%), with an average age of 43.5 years.

Participants completed surveys at three separate time points, answering questions about their social media habits, mobile phone usage, news-sharing behaviors, and their agreement with statements indicating a belief that important news would naturally reach them through peers and platforms without active effort.

The results showed a clear pattern: individuals with stronger “news-finds-me” perceptions during the middle phase of the study were significantly more likely to report sharing fake news in the final phase, even after controlling for earlier behaviors.

“This study shows that when people rely on serendipitous encounters with news, they are more likely to pass along news that is inaccurate or exaggerated,” Campbell noted. “In other words, fake news can ‘slip through the cracks’ when their guard is down.”

The researchers also found that specific social media platforms influenced this behavior differently. Facebook and Instagram usage was linked to stronger beliefs that news would find users without effort, which in turn predicted greater fake news sharing. These platforms, with their emphasis on social interaction rather than information-seeking, appeared to reinforce passive news consumption habits.

Conversely, Reddit usage was associated with reduced belief in the “news-finds-me” idea and subsequently less fake news sharing. This distinction likely stems from Reddit’s design, which emphasizes information gathering and community-specific content curation rather than purely social interaction.

Among alternative social media platforms examined (including Parler, Gab, Truth Social, Rumble, and Telegram), only Telegram showed a significant connection to the “news-finds-me” perception and subsequent misinformation sharing. The researchers suggest Telegram’s private messaging and group chat features may reinforce trust in peer-shared news, a central component of the “news-finds-me” mindset.

Mobile phone usage patterns revealed similar trends. Heavy users of phones for social connection were more likely to develop the “news-finds-me” perception and subsequently share fake news. Interestingly, those who specifically used their phones to seek political information showed the opposite pattern, suggesting that intentional information-seeking may protect against passive acceptance of misinformation.

Rather than blaming individuals for deliberately spreading falsehoods, the research points to how digital environments and habitual passive engagement with news contribute to the problem. “Much of our mobile and social media use today is done without a lot of thinking or agency, and we increasingly rely on algorithms and online contacts to keep us informed,” Campbell explained. “Under these conditions, people should heighten their awareness of media, to be more mindful and agentic, rather than passive, in constructing their information and communication environments.”

The study has limitations, including its reliance on self-reported behaviors and its focus on a specific ideological group, which may affect how broadly the findings apply. The researchers acknowledge that future work should use more diverse samples.

Campbell noted that follow-up research already in progress demonstrates the importance of maintaining an active, conscious approach to social media usage. “Having an agentic mindset helps makes users be more aware and active in their social media use, which hinders the ‘news-finds-me’ perception.”

As misinformation continues to challenge public discourse, this research offers important insights into how everyday social media habits contribute to the problem – and potentially, how more mindful engagement might help solve it.