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Social Media Misinformation Wars: How Message Features, Political Cynicism, and Conspiracy Beliefs Shape Government-Led Public Health Debunking Effectiveness

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the effectiveness of public health institutions’ misinformation debunking on social media by examining the impact of message features—social media intermediaries, message framing, and social cues—alongside the moderating roles of political cynicism and conspiracy beliefs. We conducted preregistered survey experiments in Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and the United States (total N = 2,769). Results show that sponsored messages outperformed AI recommendations. Causal framing would backfire for the cynics (in both Hong Kong and the Netherlands). In the United States, peer-shared messages enhanced source and message evaluations among those with higher conspiracy beliefs.

Source: Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

DOI: 10.1177/10776990251334107

Authors: Xinzhi Zhang, Tai-Quan Peng, Qinfeng Zhu

Institutions: City University of Hong Kong, Michigan State University, University of Groningen

Language: English

Topic: Misinformation and Its Impacts

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee