Science journalism plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between scientific communities and the general public. By translating complex scientific concepts into accessible and engaging stories, science journalists help foster a greater understanding of scientific advancements and their implications. As an expert in Science and Education, this article explores the significance of science…
Science advocacy plays a critical role in promoting scientific literacy, influencing policy, and fostering a culture that values and supports scientific research. By bridging the gap between scientists and the public, science advocates work to ensure that science remains a central part of decision-making processes at all levels of society. As an expert in Science and Education, I will explore the…
Enlarge (credit: Alistair Berg)
Misinformation is not a new problem, but there are plenty of indications that the advent of social media has made things worse. Academic researchers have responded by trying to understand the scope of the problem, identifying the most misinformation-filled social media networks, organized government efforts to spread false information, and even prominent individuals who are the sources of misinformation.
All of that's potentially valuable data. But it skips over another major contribution: average individuals who, for one reason or another, seem inspired to spread misinformation. A study released today looks at a large panel of Twitter accounts that are associated with US-based voters (the work was done back when X was still Twitter). It identifies a small group of misinformation superspreaders, which represent just 0.3 percent of the accounts but are responsible for sharing 80 percent of the links to fake news sites.
While you might expect these to be young, Internet-savvy individuals who automate their sharing, it turns out this population tends to be older, female, and very, very prone to clicking the "retweet" button.
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