<
https://theconversation.com/facebook-data-reveal-the-devastating-real-world-harms-caused-by-the-spread-of-misinformation-265742>
"Twenty-one years after Facebook’s launch, Australia’s top 25 news outlets now
have a combined 27.6 million followers on the platform. They rely on Facebook’s
reach more than ever, posting far more stories there than in the past.
With access to Meta’s Content Library (Meta is the owner of Facebook), our big
data study analysed more than three million posts from 25 Australian news
publishers. We wanted to understand how content is distributed, how audiences
engage with news topics, and the nature of misinformation spread.
The study enabled us to track de-identified Facebook comments and take a closer
look at examples of how misinformation spreads. These included cases about
election integrity, the environment (floods) and health misinformation such as
hydroxychloroquine promotion during the COVID pandemic.
The data reveal misinformation’s real-world impact: it isn’t just a digital
issue, it’s linked to poor health outcomes, falling public trust, and
significant societal harm."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
