"Although there has been recent interest in the effects of exposure to online hate speech targeting ethnic minority groups, there are some underexplored areas. In a context dominated by debates over free and hateful speech across social media platforms, it has never been more pertinent to investigat
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e whether exposure to Facebook content targeting Roma people, Europe’s largest ethnic minority group, leads to different levels of willingness to act (either positively, countering hateful content, or negatively, enhancing it). By a 4 × 2 experimental design (degree of hate speech × valence of accompanying comments) conducted in Romania, this research shows people’s general tendency to keep silent and avoid supporting or reacting in favor of the Roma minority group. Results can be used for evidence-based solutions to limit and discourage online hateful content." (Abstract)
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"The book highlights the underlying stakes that are involved in the fight against disinformation, from producing smart tools to generalizing their use beyond the journalistic profession. It considers the MIL theories and methodologies at work in the digital era, especially from the perspective of di
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gital visual literacy. Offering a comparative study of four European national experiences (France, Romania, Spain, and Sweden), the authors also make public policy recommendations to improve the fight against disinformation." (Publisher description)
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"Data suggests that the majority of citizens in various countries came across ‘fake news’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. We test the relationship between perceived prevalence of misinformation and people’s worries about COVID-19. In Study 1, analyses of a survey across 17 countries indicate a p
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ositive association: perceptions of high prevalence of misinformation are correlated with high worries about COVID-19. However, the relationship is weaker in countries with higher levels of case-fatality ratios, and independent from the actual amount of misinformation per country. Study 2 replicates the relationship using experimental data. Furthermore, Study 2 demonstrates the underlying mechanism, that is, perceived prevalence of misinformation fosters the belief that COVID-19 is spiralling out of control, which in turn, increases worries. Our findings suggest that perceived prevalence of misinformation can have significant psychological effects, even though audience members reject the information as being false." (Abstract)
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