Misinformation really does spread like a virus, suggest mathematical models drawn from epidemiology
Researchers applied mathematical models to illustrate that misinformation does, indeed, spread like a virus, even using medical terms like 'exposed,' 'susceptible' and 'infected' when referencing the impact of a 'social contagion' on media consumers.
The Conversation
We’re increasingly aware of how misinformation can influence elections. About 73% of Americans report seeing misleading election news, and about half struggle to discern what is true or false.
When it comes to misinformation, “going viral” appears to be more than a simple catchphrase. Scientists have found a close analogy between the spread of misinformation and the spread of viruses. In fact, how misinformation gets around can be effectively described using mathematical models designed to simulate the spread of pathogens.
Concerns about misinformation are widely held, with a recent UN survey suggesting that 85% of people worldwide are worried about it.
These concerns are well founded. Foreign disinformation has grown in sophistication and scope since the 2016 US election. The 2024 election cycle has seen dangerous conspiracy theories about “weather manipulation” undermining proper management of hurricanes, fake news about immigrants eating pets inciting violence against the Haitian community, and misleading election conspiracy theories amplified by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.
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