Communication and Misinformation

Presents recent research on the development, spread, and impact of online misinformation during crisis events

Due to the advent of the internet and the proliferation of social media platforms over the last twenty-five years, the spread of misinformation during times of crisis is more prevalent than ever before. Under conditions such as extreme weather events, global pandemics, natural disasters, terrorism, and political unrest, the real-time exchange of misinformation occurs rapidly through various social media platforms—posing a significant challenge to government officials, researchers, and public health experts tasked with identifying and correcting the erroneous information.

Communication and Misinformation addresses a variety of important questions and issues related to social media misinformation during times of crisis. Bringing together a team of contributors with extensive research experience in the subject, this timely volume explores the implications of public reliance on social media to obtain information, or misinformation, from social media platforms and online social network members they trust.

In-depth, yet accessible chapters examine the increasingly critical role that risk and health communication play in the modern world, discuss the importance of identifying and analyzing the dissemination and impact of misinformation on various segments of the population, offer strategies for correcting misinformation with evidence-based explanations for causes of crisis events, and more.

Designed to help reduce the impact misinformation has on public perceptions of the risk and severity of crisis events, Communication and Misinformation:

• Addresses social media misinformation during times of crisis across multiple contexts and perspectives, including political communication, reputational management, and social network theory
• Explores the research implications inherent in studying online misinformation during crisis events
• Discusses autocoding, AI approaches to misinformation detection and intervention, and other recent advances in research
• Offers a range of real-world solutions to combat misinformation and reduce harm, including inoculation, pre-emptive refutation, and argument-based correction approaches

Edited by a leading scholar in the field, Communication and Misinformation: Crisis Events in the Age of Social Media is an essential resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, instructors, scholars, and public- and private-sector professionals in risk and crisis communication, strategic communication, public relations, and media studies.