MediaWell, the Social Science Research Council's new web platform for Disinformation Scholarship
In the last few years, a huge amount of scholarship has emerged on disinformation and related topics, such as toxicity, polarization, populist rhetoric, and election interference. Researchers in disciplines from anthropology to psychology are working on disinformation-related questions, often with different taxonomies. This volume makes it hard for researchers to stay abreast of other disciplines. Seemingly contradictory findings present challenges for journalists, citizens, and policymakers seeking clear answers.
MediaWell, the Social Science Research Council’s new web platform, is a response to this volume and spread – our aim was to create a one-stop platform that is freely accessible for researchers, policymakers, journalists, funders, and interested citizens alike. We’re excited to make the project available, and eager for feedback on this new format for curating research and promoting public scholarship.
Fake news sharing is rare but older people over 65 are more likely to share these articles, study finds
These two studies examined fake news on separate social media platforms; Facebook and Twitter, with both concluding that sharing this content was a rare occurrence but when users did share fake news articles they tended to be older Americans over 65.
Digital DNA: How to map our online behavior
Nowadays, issues related to the diffusion of fake news, rumours, hoaxes, as well as the diffusion of malware and viruses in online social networks have become so important as to transcend the virtual ecosystem and interfere with our businesses and societies. Currently, we are unable to effectively deal with these issues.