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The Psychology of Fake News: Accepting, Sharing, and Correcting Misinformation

Rainer Greifeneder, Mariela Elena Jaffé, Eryn Newman, Norbert Schwarz (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2021), x, 239 pp.

"In a general climate where facts and misinformation blur, and are intentionally blurred, this book asks what determines whether people accept and share (mis)information, and what can be done to counter misinformation? All three of these aspects need to be understood in the context of online social ... more

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Cyber Capabilities as a New Resource of Power Conflicts in the Digital Sphere

Jason Chumtong, Christina Stolte

International Reports (Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung), issue 1 (2021), pp. 95-105

"Interestingly, traditional sources of power, such as military and economic strength, are not a prerequisite for success in cyberspace. It is true that the premier league of cyber powers also includes many traditional major powers in its ranks. But states need very few resources to build their cyber ... capabilities and exploit them to project influence, as the examples of international outsiders like Iran and Venezuela demonstrate. In some ways, cyber capabilities even seem ideally suited to allowing small and medium-sized countries to increase their influence because they represent an effective tool of asymmetric warfare. Even though they require relatively few resources and low-threshold technology, they have the potential to inflict considerable damage when deployed against other countries Attacks on poorly protected public authorities, businesses, or even infrastructure can cause serious damage to other countries. The risks for the attacker are reasonably low because attribution of the attacks is usually difficult and time-consuming. On top of this, the evidence is seldom clear, and consistent denial of any involvement is part and parcel of cyber warfare. This is also one of the key differences from previous power struggles at the international level. While the global battle for power and influence has always been accompanied by visible demonstrations of power and the accumulation of status symbols, the struggle in cyberspace takes place under the radar. This makes it especially difficult to identify shifts of power occurring today. Particularly in the field of information warfare, an area of growing importance in both national and international conflicts, states that were never previously on the radar as global players are now increasing their international influence. Yet, these countries recognised the potential of digital technologies at an early stage and are exploiting them with great success. Many of them have a wealth of experience in this respect due to having deployed the tools of information warfare against their own citizens and political opponents for many years. They can now direct this expertise towards other countries to wield global influence." (Conclusion, page 103) more

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Media Influence Matrix: Israel. Technology, Public Sphere and Journalism

Roni Dorot

Budapest: CEU Center for Media, Data and Society (2021), 30 pp.

"Although internet penetration rate in Israel stands at 88%, internet infrastructure, and notably the roll-out of fiber-optics, was not properly regulated until December 2020. Therefore, among other things, Israel’s internet speed was in decline in comparison to OECD countries, although it is expe ... cted to rise in mid-2021. Moreover, frequencies for 5G network deployment have been allocated only as late as August 2020, in significant delay compared to technologically progressed countries. Following global trends, Israelis draw on different technological means to use the internet, and especially to consume media. While fixed telephony demand is in decline, smartphones took over the market with 88% of smartphone ownership. Israel records a specific digital divide among marginalized groups like the Arab population and ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews. Together with the 65+ age group, these three main sectors are susceptible to be affected by digital illiteracy. The international technology conglomerates that control the Israeli market are Facebook (with its daughter company WhatsApp) in the field of messaging applications and social media, and Google Chrome browser, while the operating system (OS) market is dominated by Microsoft (on desktop) and Google (Android on mobile). The four main Israeli groups operating in the communications market are: Bezeq, HOT, Cellcom and Partner. They are all active in five telecom segments and market them in bundle packages for relatively low prices: cellular, fixed (telephony and internet) infrastructure, internet providing, international calls and multichannel TV. This highly saturated and competitive market has damaged the revenues and future incentives of these companies to invest in cutting-edge infrastructure. Israelis get most of their political information from online news sites. Some 76% of the public in Israel consume news content on social media at least once a day (40% of Jews and 66% of Arabs). The leading social media platforms are YouTube, Facebook and Twitter; they make a central source for the dissemination of politics, and have significant power in shaping public opinion. Nevertheless, “fake news” is also circulating fast and efficiently on these platforms, making disinformation a troubling phenomenon for Israeli society. Few journalistic initiatives took upon themselves the responsibility for public fact-checking. Traditional media struggles with fragile financial sustainability and business models. Given the populist effect that fake news has on consumers and, consequentially, on revenues, it is risky to rely on traditional media solely, in this matter." (Page 4) more

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Information Disorder and Mainstream Media in Sri Lanka: A Case Study

Anisha Dias Banadaranaike (coord.)

Verité Research (VR) (2021), 34 pp.

"This study attempts to contribute to literature that analyzes the role of Sri Lanka’s mainstream media as a producer and distributor of information disorder. For this purpose, a case study approach is used to evaluate reporting on Dr. Segu Siyabdeen Mohamed Shafi. The study focuses on the Sri Lan ... more

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Why Conspirational Propaganda Works and What We Can Do About It: Audience Vulnerability and Resistance to Anti-Western, Pro-Kremlin Disinformation in Ukraine

Peter Pomerantsev et al.

London School of Economics and Political Science;Internews Ukraine;Cardiff University, Crime and Security Research Institute (2021), 45 pp.

"The most effective propaganda resonates with audiences’ underlying worldviews and personal experiences. In order to fight it, one has to understand the mindsets that it preys on. This paper sets out to do exactly that. We first track a set of Kremlin-aligned propaganda narratives across Ukrainian ... more

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YouTube Regrets: A Crowdsourced Investigation Into YouTube's Recommendation Algorithm

Jesse McCrosky, Brandi Geurkink

Mozilla (2021), 39 pp.

"YouTube is the second-most visited website in the world, and its algorithm drives 70% of watch time on the platform—an estimated 700 million hours every single day. For years, that recommendation algorithm has helped spread health misinformation, political disinformation, hateful diatribes, and o ... more

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GFMD Impact: Disinformation
Quick Overview

Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD);USAID (2021)

"On 17th June 2021 GFMD's International Media Policy and Advisory Centre hosted a meeting of 54 media development donors, practitioners and academics to discuss effective responses to disinformation. Disinformation was chosen after it was selected as a priority in a survey of those engaged with GFMD ... more

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Digital Misinformation / Disinformation and Children

Philip N. Howard, Lisa-Maria Neudert, Nayana Prakash

UNICEF (2021), 35 pp.

"Children can be targets and objects of mis/disinformation, spreaders or creators of it, and opponents of mis/disinformation in actively seeking to counter falsehoods. There is insufficient data available to researchers and policymakers to get a clear and comprehensive picture of how susceptible chi ... more

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Ugandans See Social Media as Beneficial and Want Unrestricted Access, But Are Wary of its Use to Spread Fake News

Makanga Ronald Kakumba, Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny

Afrobarometer (2021), 11 pp.

"Daily news consumption via social media (11%) and the Internet (9%) has doubled in Uganda since 2015, though these platforms still lag far behind television (27%) and radio (54%) as daily news sources. Six in 10 Ugandans (60%) say they are aware of social media. Awareness is less widespread among w ... more

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Disinformation Primer
Key Guidance

Joshua Machleder, Shannon Maguire et al.

USAID (2021), 96 pp.

"This primer presents an overview of disinformation culture to give readers a sense of key concepts, terminology, select case studies, and programmatic design options. Disinformation is by no means new. Although social media platforms have emerged as the most efficient spreaders of false information ... more

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Digital Disinformation: Evidence from Ukraine

Lennart Maschmeyer

Zürich: ETH Zürich, Center for Security Studies (CSS) (2021), 4 pp.

"There is a pervasive fear that information technology enhances the effectiveness of destabilizing disinformation campaigns. Yet evidence from Ukraine, the paradigmatic case of “hybrid war”, indicates this threat is overstated. Rather, traditional media remain far more influential. The prevailin ... more

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Final Report

Commission on Information Disorder

Aspen Institute (2021), 78 pp.

"This report is the culmination of an in-depth investigation aimed at better defining the causes and challenges of information disorder, and offering a viable framework for action [...] The Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder invited voices from across our society to help build up ... more

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The Chilling: Global Trends in Online Violence Against Women Journalists. Research Discussion Paper
Top Insights

Julie Posetti, Nabeelah Shabbir, Diana Maynard, Kalina Bontcheva, Nermine Aboulez

UNESCO (2021), 94 pp.

"Online attacks on women journalists appear to be increasing significantly, as this study demonstrates, particularly in the context of the ‘shadow pandemic’ of violence against women during COVID-19. The pandemic has changed journalists’ working conditions, making them yet more dependent on di ... more

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The Truth Gap: How Misinformation and Disinformation Online Affect the Lives, Learning and Leadership of Girls and Young Women

Sharon Goulds et al.

Surrey: Plan International (2021), 46 pp.

"We surveyed over 26,000 girls and young women in 26 countries. 91% of girls and young women surveyed are concerned about misinformation and/or disinformation online. 40% of those surveyed are extremely or very concerned. Misinformation and disinformation are having a negative impact on 87% of the g ... more

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SDG 16 Data Initiative Report 2021. Impact of the Pandemic on Measuring Progress Towards SDG 16: Looking Forward, Tackling Obstacles

Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD);Governance Data Alliance;International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA);Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO);World Justice Project (WJP) (2021), 81 pp.

"Chapter 1, by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), presents an overview of indicators from the Global State of Democracy Indices, which provide complementary indicators to measure progress on SDG Targets 16.3; 16.5, on reducing corruption and brib ... more

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How Information Disorder Affirms Authoritarianism and Destabilizes Democracy: Evidence, Trends, and Actionable Mitigation Strategies from Asia and the Pacific

Michael Buehler, Ed Schatz, Sameen Ali, Christopher Green, Janjira Sombatpoonsiri

Washington, DC: USAID;Integra Government Services International LLC;Asia Emerging Opportunities (AEO) Activity (2021), 130 pp.

"Section 2 of this report provides an overview of information disorder in Asia and the Pacific and describes how it destabilizes democracy and strengthens authoritarianism. After situating information disorder in Asia and the Pacific in its historical context, Section 2 examines which actors 1) spre ... more

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Harmful Information: Misinformation, Disinformation and Hate Speech in Armed Conflict and Other Situations of Violence. ICRC Initial Findings and Perspectives on Adapting Protection Approaches

Delphine van Solinge, Mark Silverman et al.

Geneva: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (2021), 20 pp.

"The present document .. first proposes a working definition of what misinformation, disinformation and hate speech” (MDH) are and how they can be framed conceptually. It then explains why MDH is of such significant concern to the ICRC and the wider humanitarian sector. Next, it outlines the key c ... more

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Hate Narratives and Disinformation in Online Media in Albania

Ilda Londo

Tirana: South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM) (2021), 27 pp.

"The case studies analyzed here show that, in general, the mainstream media does not produce hate speech narratives on its own, but does become a vehicle for carrying them. The greatest producers of hate narratives, division, disinformation, and polarization remain the political actors, partly becau ... more

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Understanding the Context Around Content: Looking Behind Misinformation Narratives

Laura Livingston

Global Insights, issue December (2021), pp. 16-22

"Misinformation is not solely an online problem; offline dynamics and activities also contribute to misinformation’s spread and resonance. - Political conflict, social upheaval, economic stress, and other sociological or psychological are among the offline dynamics that contribute to misinformatio ... more

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Online Hate Network Spreads Malicious COVID-19 Content Outside the Control of Individual Social Media Platforms

N. Velásquez, R. Leahy et al.

Nature: Scientific Reports, volume 11, issue 11549 (2021), 8 pp.

"We show that malicious COVID-19 content, including racism, disinformation, and misinformation, exploits the multiverse of online hate to spread quickly beyond the control of any individual social media platform. We provide a first mapping of the online hate network across six major social media pla ... more

GFMD Impact: Disinformation Quick Overview

Disinformation Primer Key Guidance

The Chilling: Global Trends in Online Violence Against Women Journalists. Research Discussion Paper Top Insights

GFMD Impact: Disinformation
Quick Overview

Disinformation Primer
Key Guidance

The Chilling: Global Trends in Online Violence Against Women Journalists. Research Discussion Paper
Top Insights