Lies and inaccurate information are as old as humanity, but never before have they been so easy to spread. Each moment of every day, the Internet and broadcast media purvey misinformation, either deliberately or accidentally, to a mass audience on subjects ranging from politics to consumer goods to science and medicine, among many others. Because misinformation now has the potential to affect behavior on a massive scale, it is urgently important to understand how it works and what can be done to mitigate its harmful effects.

Misinformation and Mass Audiences brings together evidence and ideas from communication research, public health, psychology, political science, environmental studies, and information science to investigate what constitutes misinformation, how it spreads, and how best to counter it. The expert contributors cover such topics as whether and to what extent audiences consciously notice misinformation, the possibilities for audience deception, the ethics of satire in journalism and public affairs programming, the diffusion of rumors, the role of Internet search behavior, and the evolving efforts to counteract misinformation, such as fact-checking programs. The first comprehensive social science volume exploring the prevalence and consequences of, and remedies for, misinformation as a mass communication phenomenon, Misinformation and Mass Audiences will be a crucial resource for students and faculty researching misinformation, policymakers grappling with questions of regulation and prevention, and anyone concerned about this troubling, yet perhaps unavoidable, dimension of current media systems.

About the Author

Brian G. Southwell directs the Science in the Public Sphere Program in the Center for Communication Science at RTI International. He is also is a faculty member at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Emily A. Thorson is an assistant professor of political science at Syracuse University.

Laura Sheble is an assistant professor in the School of Information Sciences at Wayne State University and an SSRI Visiting Research Fellow at the Duke Network Analysis Center at Duke University.

Reviews
Misinformation and Mass Audiences is well worth reading...It represents a timely foray into the analysis of public misinformation, with a broad vista, providing a number of valuable insights into the phenomenon and often using examples from science communication. * Public Understanding of Science *
Readers will find Misinformation and Mass Audiences helpful in developing a better understanding of the current environment and identifying areas for further study. Thoughtful communication practitioners will also benefit from this volume by forcing them to think deeply about the consequences, intended or not, of their work...Misinformation and Mass Audiences would be a good basis for an overall study of misinformation, but students in journalism, political science, public relations, or advertising will also find this collection valuable. * Communication Booknotes Quarterly *
[A] robust primer for anyone looking for a social science perspective on misinformation...accessible to broad audiences looking to correct their misinformation about misinformation. * Choice Reviews *
[O]ne of the first attempts to systematically analyze how misinformation functions in the modern age. * Vox *
A valuable resource for laymen as well as scholars and journalists, [Misinformation and Mass Audiences] is a well-documented book and significant contribution toward understanding the complexity and diversity of misinformation in our lives. * Communications *
This book is a clear and concise introduction to many of the important themes in misinformation studies. It is a valuable contribution to the new research agenda taking shape in political communication research. * International Journal of Press/Politics *



Book Information
ISBN 9781477314562
Author Brian G. Southwell
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint University of Texas Press
Publisher University of Texas Press
Weight(grams) 454g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 20mm