Accidental Spreaders: How Different Roles Interact During Misinformation Discussions

Abstract

The spread and impact of misinformation can be limited through effective misinformation corrections, and social corrections (i.e., corrections from friends and family) can be more effective. Most prior research has focused on understanding social corrections within online social media platforms among weak-ties, with close-tie networks being overlooked. Drawing on findings from a survey of UK residents ($n=61$), we investigated how, where, and why participants discuss misinformation. We find that within family and friend networks, misinformation is often spread through offline channels. We find people drawing on their social network for support, helping them with social corrections. However, we find this support can result in accidental spreading of misinformation. Our findings provide justification for considering legacy communication channels (e.g., talking) when designing to limit misinformation spread, and the need for tools to support people in correcting misinformation that reduce the risk of inadvertent spread.