Corrective Actions in the Information Disorder. The Role of Presumed Media Influence and Hostile Media Perceptions for the Countering of Distorted User-Generated Content

ABSTRACT

In recent times, distorted information has frequently been discussed as a serious problem for democracies. There are concerns that such information spreading via social media may lead to severe effects, such as a decline in social cohesion. Apart from platforms and journalistic organizations, users play a decisive role in preventing the spread of distorted information by flagging, reporting or countering. The current study contributes to the literature by providing new insights into users’ motivations for engaging in this important task. Building on literature on biased perceptions and presumed influences, and using a German random-quota survey (N = 2,973) we showed that the countering of distorted information is influenced by hostile media perceptions and the presumed influence on the individual but not by perceived influences on others. If users experience personal attacks online and perceive user-generated content as important for their own opinion formation, they are more likely to become active in fighting distorted information.

KEYWORDS:

• Online participation
• distorted information
• hostile media perceptions
• influence of presumed influence
• third-person effect

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. In comparison to the participants of the first wave (W1), the sample included more males (W1: 51%), was older (W1: M = 45.2 years), equally educated, received the same income, and indicated a similar political attitude (W1: M = 6.28).

2. The other three behavioral dimensions, which are not relevant for the current analysis, depicted participants’ amplification of distorted information (e.g., liking and sharing), their consumption of such content (e.g., watching without reaction) and avoiding it (e.g., leaving the platform).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) via the grant number [16KIS0496], “PropStop: Detection, Proof, and Combating of Hidden Propaganda Attacks via Online Media”. Kantar-Emnid Germany conducted the data collection.

Notes on contributors

Florian Wintterlin

Florian Wintterlin is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster, Germany.

Lena Frischlich

Lena Frischlich is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster, Germany and an interim professor for communication at the department of media and communication at the Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Germany.

Svenja Boberg

Svenja Boberg is a doctoral student at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster, Germany.

Tim Schatto-Eckrodt

Tim Schatto-Eckrodt is a doctoral student at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster, Germany.

Felix Reer

Felix Reer is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster, Germany.

Thorsten Quandt

Thorsten Quandt is professor of communication science at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster, Germany.