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In a groundbreaking study, researchers at Cardiff University’s Crime and Security Research Institute have uncovered that a small fraction of social media users may be responsible for the widespread dissemination of COVID-19 disinformation across Europe.
The research, which examined social media behavior in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, identified a group dubbed “super-sharers” who make up just 6% of users but play an outsized role in spreading false information about the pandemic.
These super-sharers exhibit distinct behavioral patterns: they have shared disinformation within the past month (either knowingly or unknowingly), share political news daily, check at least three social media platforms every day, and primarily rely on social media as their news source.
“Our research provides insights into the factors that make a person more likely to share disinformation about COVID-19, as well as the central role social media plays in people’s lives,” explained Professor Kate Daunt, who led the analysis.
The study, conducted between March 18 and April 30, 2020, surveyed more than 3,600 citizens across the five European nations, with at least 700 respondents from each country. Researchers found striking differences in how various populations interact with misinformation.
In the UK, 31% of respondents who had shared COVID-19 disinformation admitted to doing so “unknowingly,” believing the information was accurate when they posted it. By comparison, Italy had the lowest percentage of unwitting sharers at 20%.
Perhaps more concerning, Spain led in the percentage of people who “knowingly” shared “exaggerated” content about the coronavirus, with 31% admitting to this behavior. Italy had the lowest rate at 11%.
The study also revealed significant disparities in fact-checking habits. UK citizens were the least vigilant, with 28% admitting they “never” verify news before sharing it. In contrast, Italian citizens demonstrated the most diligence, with 47% reporting they “always” fact-check information before passing it along.
Awareness of fake news also varied dramatically by country. Only 51% of UK respondents reported seeing COVID-19 misinformation online – the lowest percentage among the five nations surveyed. This stands in stark contrast to Spain’s 87%, Italy’s 84%, France’s 72%, and Germany’s 58%.
Professor Daunt noted these findings suggest a troubling possibility: “There was a significant relationship in all countries between people who had not seen COVID-19 disinformation and those who ‘never’ fact check. It’s therefore highly likely that while the UK had the lowest percentage of people who said they had seen fake news online, a much higher number may have been exposed to disinformation without realizing it.”
The research also highlighted broader societal concerns about misinformation’s impact. Across all five countries, respondents who had encountered COVID-19 disinformation were more likely to believe it significantly undermines trust in scientists, experts, and health policies.
This study comes at a critical time when health authorities worldwide continue to battle not only the virus itself but also an “infodemic” of false information that can hamper public health efforts and vaccination campaigns.
The findings suggest that targeting educational efforts toward the small percentage of “super-sharers” could have a disproportionately positive effect on reducing the spread of misinformation, potentially offering public health officials and social media platforms a more focused approach to combating dangerous falsehoods about the pandemic.
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14 Comments
As a metals and mining investor, I’m curious how the spread of COVID-19 misinformation has impacted commodity markets and related equities. Have you seen any noticeable effects in those areas?
That’s a good question. Misinformation could certainly contribute to market volatility, though the broader economic impacts of the pandemic are likely the larger driver for metals and mining.
The finding that just 6% of social media users are responsible for a large share of COVID-19 misinformation is concerning. Platforms should prioritize addressing this issue to stem the flow of harmful falsehoods.
Agreed. Reducing the virality of misinformation shared by this highly active minority group is crucial to protecting public health.
As an investor in uranium and lithium companies, I’m curious if COVID-19 misinformation has had any noticeable effects on sentiment or valuations in those sectors. Have you seen any industry-specific impacts?
That’s an interesting question. While the pandemic has certainly impacted commodity markets more broadly, I haven’t seen clear evidence of misinformation specifically affecting uranium or lithium equities. The fundamental supply and demand dynamics seem to be the larger driver.
Interesting study on the role of ‘super-sharers’ in spreading COVID-19 misinformation on social media. I wonder what specific steps platforms could take to curb the disproportionate influence of this small group.
Platforms need to be more proactive in identifying and limiting the reach of accounts that frequently share false or misleading content.
As someone invested in gold and silver mining stocks, I’m curious if you’ve seen any correlation between the spread of COVID-19 misinformation and volatility in precious metals markets. Have there been any noticeable impacts?
That’s an interesting question. While precious metals have seen significant volatility during the pandemic, I haven’t observed a clear link to the spread of COVID-19 misinformation specifically. The broader economic and geopolitical factors seem to be the primary drivers in that sector.
This study underscores the need for social media platforms to take a more proactive and comprehensive approach to addressing the spread of COVID-19 misinformation. The disproportionate influence of ‘super-sharers’ is concerning.
Agreed. Platforms must go beyond simply removing individual pieces of content and instead focus on addressing the systemic factors that enable the rapid spread of falsehoods.
This research highlights the outsized influence a small number of social media users can have on the information landscape. Platforms must do more to address the systemic factors enabling the spread of misinformation.
Agreed. Implementing more robust content moderation and algorithmic changes to limit the amplification of misinformation should be a top priority.