Some of our fellow citizens seem to voluntarily do the work of spreading fake news.
  • veee@lemmy.caEnglish
    11·
    3 months ago

    So, it’s clear that a small subpopulation is preferentially tweeting links to sources of misinformation, and for many users, they’re the most significant source of exposure to these sites. So who are these people?

    They’re a bit more likely to be female. While both the comparison groups were roughly evenly split between male and female, the superspreaders were 60 percent female. They’re also older, on average 58 years old, nearly 20 years older than the sample as a whole. And, while much of the misinformation about the election largely circulated within Republican circles, only 64 percent of the superspreaders were registered Republicans (nearly 20 percent were registered as Democrats).

    • Technus@lemmy.zipEnglish
      3·
      3 months ago

      This is hardly new phenomenon. Before Twitter and Facebook, it was email chains. I still have some from my mom claiming Obama was the Antichrist.

    • MajorHavoc@programming.devEnglish
      11·
      3 months ago

      Someone compare these stats with lead paint exposure stats. I’m so curious if we can finally get positive correlation.

      More honestly, it’s easier to accept that people we love are brain damaged, than just plain gullible.

  • Stern@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    3 months ago

    It was played up for the show but I think many of us have a Peggy in our life.