A Multidisciplinary, Theoretical Model of Information Propagation: Why Do People Share Information and Narratives on Social Media
Abstract
The revelations of Russian disinformation campaigns on social media against the U.S. population during the 2016 election have identified a stark vulnerability in the security of the United States (e.g., Sydell,2017; United States of America v. Internet Research Agency LLC, 2018; Waltzman, 2017; Woolley and Howard, 2017). Fake news, as it is currently popularized,1 is not new, nor is propaganda (e.g., Allcott and Gentzkow, 2017; Jowett and ODonnell, 2015; Lazer et al., 2018; McKernon, 1928; Pratkanis and Aronson, 2001).There has been an increase in this kind of information war by Russia against the United States and European countries at least since 2014 (e.g., Paul and Matthews, 2016; Prier, 2017; Woolley and Howard, 2017). Information warfare does not simply occur between nations: In addition, extremist groups recruit and spread propaganda online, both jihadi Islamic groups and right-wing extremists (e.g., Benigni, Joseph, and Carley, 2017; Bowman-Grieve, 2013; Caiani and Wagemann, 2009; Derrick, Sporer, Church, and Ligon, 2016; Prier, 2017; Vidino and Hughes, 2015). These activities open up new fronts in the United States information environment, both domestically and abroad.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 23, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1061567
Entities
People
- Brooke E. Auxier
- Ewa M. Golonka
- Susannah B. F. Paletz
Organizations
- University of Maryland