Identifying the Sources of Disinformation in Today’s Media Landscape

The spread of political disinformation in Germany extends beyond social media to mainstream television, with right-wing and conservative parties being the primary sources, according to two groundbreaking studies. Using advanced language modeling techniques, researchers have provided the first comprehensive analysis of false information disseminated by German politicians across multiple platforms.

While only 1.14% of all social media posts contained disinformation, the distribution was notably uneven. Facebook had the highest rate at 1.52%, followed by TikTok (1.43%), Instagram (0.97%), and Twitter/X (0.73%). More striking was the concentration among specific political parties and topics.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) consistently led in spreading false information, followed by the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the newly formed BSW party. In contrast, the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, Left Party, and Free Democrats (FDP) shared significantly less disinformation.

“When examining specific topics, the concentration becomes even clearer,” explains Sebastian Nenno, lead researcher of the studies. “Six percent of all posts about agriculture contained disinformation, but among CDU posts on this topic, the figure rose to 12%.”

The research employed novel methodologies that allowed for a more comprehensive analysis than previous studies. Instead of merely tracking links to known disinformation websites, the researchers used language models to analyze the actual content of posts, videos, and television transcripts.

Perhaps most surprising was the prevalence of disinformation in mainstream television programming. Nearly 12% of episodes from popular German talk shows like “Markus Lanz,” “Hart aber fair,” and “Maischberger” contained at least one false statement from a political guest.

“This confirms our hypothesis that in formats such as talk shows, it’s often not possible to correct false claims made by guests quickly enough,” Nenno notes. The television study revealed that AfD politicians were again the primary sources of misinformation, followed by CDU/CSU and BSW representatives.

While the quantity of disinformation spread by different parties showed some similarities, the nature and purpose of these false claims varied significantly. The AfD predominantly used disinformation to undermine democratic institutions, such as casting doubt on the federal office for the protection of the constitution. In contrast, the CDU/CSU primarily deployed false information to attack political opponents, particularly regarding migration policies.

The concentration of disinformation around contested political topics suggests a strategic deployment rather than random misinformation. Economic issues, law and crime, and agricultural policy were particularly susceptible to false claims.

“Even though the effects remain uncertain, our findings indicate that disinformation is firmly embedded in the communication strategies of some political actors and parties,” the researchers conclude.

The studies contribute important nuance to the ongoing debate about disinformation’s impact on democracy. While some researchers have argued that public concern about false information is exaggerated given its relatively low overall prevalence, these findings demonstrate that when examined by source and topic, the threat becomes more apparent.

Market analysts and political observers note that understanding these patterns has implications beyond academic interest. With several key elections approaching in European countries, the strategic deployment of disinformation by mainstream political parties could impact electoral outcomes and further erode trust in democratic institutions.

The research underscores that addressing political disinformation requires looking beyond social media platforms to include traditional broadcast media, where false information can reach different and sometimes larger audiences with potentially greater perceived legitimacy.