Social networks play a leading role in the spread of conspiracy theories and there is also a relationship between the use made of these platforms by various users and false beliefs, as revealed by a study by the journal New Media & Society, led jointly by Ana Sofía Cardenal Izquierdo, professor of Law and Political Science of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), with 19 other universities, which have analyzed the role played by social networks in the spread of information.
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The analysis further points out that not all social media platforms equally favor the spread of conspiracy theories. This is due to the architecture and features of these platforms, which influence dissemination, user behavior, the type of interactions and the information transmission processes.
For example, “the characteristics and peculiarities of Twitter’s operation make it a social network more geared towards news consumption, increase social pressure on what is published, which in turn could reduce the circulation of unverified information or alternative type with respect to other social networks, such as Facebook or YouTube, with characteristics more favorable to the dissemination of these theories”, explained Cardenal, who is part of the research group eGovernanza: administration and electronic democracy (Gade).
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The study, which was carried out through surveys in 17 European countries, before and after the pandemic, on different social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and various messaging applications such as WhatsApp, establishes that not all social media platforms favor diffusion. Also, it highlights that Moments such as the start of the pandemic also affect the distribution of content.
“On Twitter, for example, conspiracy content can be quickly debunked or possibly drowned out by better quality information or the sheer volume of those willing to jump in quickly and correct other people’s misperceptions,” he explains.
On Twitter, for example, conspiracy content can be quickly debunked or possibly drowned out by other information.
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In addition, Twitter users “combine a higher education than the average of other social networks, with a greater tendency to seek news and participate in political debates than in any of the other platforms, and users go to reliable and more reliable sources of information. quality”, says the analysis.
In the case of the social networks that are part of Meta, such as Facebook or WhatsApp, where the type of user link is closer, such as family or friends, people do not participate as much in checking information or doubtful content.
“It’s more, there is a positive relationship between using Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp and having conspiracy beliefs about covid-19, for example, so these types of social networks and messaging platforms tend to be more private and protected spaces, which could increase the circulation of alternative information,” said Cardenal regarding the spread of fake news and conspiracies on these platforms.
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Perfect storm
With the pandemic, the situation of uncertainty and the increased time spent at home were factors that increased the distribution of conspiracy theories.
“The majority of the population favored the dissemination of this type of unverified information on the different networks, therefore, in the first months of the pandemic, the perfect storm occurred and this imbalance between demand and supply became an opportunity for all kinds of false assumptions and explanations about the virus to circulate”, added the researcher.
Among the pending tasks that companies behind social networks have before the dissemination of theories on their platforms, the study indicates that it is key that they begin to develop strategies capable of correcting both the misperceptions of people and their consequences, and more when it comes to public health.
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