Work

Divides in News Verification: Antecedents and Political Outcomes of News Verification by Age

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: News verification has been an important practice to combat fake news, but relatively little work has explored the antecedents and outcomes of news verification outside of experimental settings.This study uses two-wave panel survey data from Taiwan to address this gap.Findings indicate that access to cultural, social, and technological resources largely determines individuals' likelihood of undertaking advanced news verification that involves cross-checking with external sources.Some but not all verification divides vary by age, providing partial support for the perception that news verification gaps are more salient among older adults.Findings also indicate the political implications of news verification: people who engage in advanced verification are more likely to express themselves politically than those who only undertake basic verification involving self-judgment.These results have implications for targeted interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of fake news engagement across age groups.

Source: Digital Journalism

DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2024.2314582

Author: Rebecca Ping Yu

Institution: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Language: English

Topic: Misinformation and Its Impacts

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Science and Technology Council, National Science and Technology Council

Award: Using the Process-Based Framework to Examine Mobile News Use Patterns and Their Effects on the Internet Age