Confusing Effects of Fake News on Clarity of Political Information in the Social Media Environment

ABSTRACT

This study investigated whether exposure to fake news leads to more confusion about public affairs and how SNS news use and characteristics of SNSs – network size, political heterogeneity and political expertise of networks – are associated with exposure to fake news and the confusion about political reality. For that, we theorized confusion as the composite of strengthening of misperception and weakening of right perception. Findings show that those exposed to fake news are more likely to be confused about the information in fake news. Regarding SNS factors, news use on SNSs increases exposure to fake news. Network size and political network heterogeneity indirectly affect people’s confusion via exposure to fake news. In contrast, network political expertise was found to limit confusion directly, as well as indirectly by reducing likelihood of exposure to fake news. Implications of this study are discussed regarding the functioning of democracy.

KEYWORDS:

• Fake news
• SNS (Social Networking Service)
• confusion
• network
• political expertise on networks
• disinformation

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The included fake news headlines are “U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said that former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s running for South Korean president is a violation of the United Nations convention,” “Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon drank the sacrificial wine, instead of emptying it, when he went to visit his father’s grave,” “Two conservative constitutional judges decided to turn down the impeachment of Park Geun-Hye and now are persuading other judges,” “Koreans in America including Jimmy Lee filed a 10 billion won range lawsuit against JTBC for the alleged damage from the report of candlelight protests,” “Son of Judge Cho Ui-yeon, who has rejected the arrest warrant of Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, is going to be employed by Samsung,” “Moon Jae-in, the former chairman of Democratic Party of Korea is hiding bars of gold, which is his secret fund.”