Work

'It Would Be a Lot Harder for Them to Change Their Mind....They Grew Up in Like a Very Different Time and a Very Different Location': Barriers to Misinformation Corrections in Online Black and Latine Private Spaces

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Misinformation disproportionately affects Black and Latine communities in the U.S., particularly spreading in private online groups where platform-based moderation and fact-checking are challenging. Close-tie corrections from family members and friends in online private spaces are crucial as they may be the primary form of correction within these communities. We conducted semi-structured interviews ( N =16) with participants to explore their barriers to correction and outcomes. Our findings illustrate various interpersonal and cultural barriers to successful correction, including family hierarchy, diaspora experiences, English as a second language, religion, racism, and sexism. Participants shared positive correction experiences, supported by shared cultural/community ties and lack of power difference between corrector and correctee. We connect our findings to Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, showing how misinformation correction experiences depend on a confluence of culture and identity relations. We offer recommendations for enhancing misinformation interventions to more effectively support the Black and Latine communities.

Source: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction

DOI: 10.1145/3711021

Authors: Rafael Martinez, Chris Geeng, Damon McCoy

Institutions: New York University, Northeastern University

Language: English

Topic: Misinformation and Its Impacts

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Science Foundation, University of California, San Diego