Work

Habits and Motivations of Citizens in Receiving and Disseminating Disinformation on Social Media

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A main problem in the fight against disinformation is the lack of knowledge about the sociodemographic profiles of both recipients and disseminators of false messages circulating on social networks. This research is based on a survey conducted in the Autonomous Region of Madrid (N = 840) aimed at revealing the digital habits and behavior of people over the age of 18 regarding disinformation. The cross-referencing of variables reveals a group composed mainly of women, averaging 31 years and ideologically left-leaning, as the main disseminators of news on social media and, simultaneously, the group most exposed to disinformation. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the group averaging 73 years old reports never sharing news on social media and, rarely, if ever, receiving fake news. When respondents did share disinformation, they argued it was because they believed it to be true and trusted the source.

Source: International journal of communication

Authors: Ignacio Blanco-Alfonso, María Solano-Altaba, Cristina Rodríguez-Luque, Sergio Arce-García

Institutions: Universidad San Pablo CEU, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja

Language: English

Topic: Misinformation and Its Impacts

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W7093121889

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