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(Dis)Information Wars

Author

Listed:
  • Adrian Casillas
  • Maryam Farboodi
  • Layla Hashemi
  • Maryam Saeedi
  • Steven Wilson

Abstract

Over the past decade, social media platforms have emerged as prominent vehicles for displaying dissent. In response, various actors have increasingly spread fake news on these platforms to impair the opposition—the (dis)information war. We analyze a methodology to identify disinformation using network-based characteristics of the news initiators, and use data from Twitter (now X) to assess the effectiveness of this method in limiting the spread of disinformation. We find that it detects at least 85% of verified instances of disinformation without misidentifying any true news, and reduces both account engagement and lifespan of disinformation by at least a factor of two, highlighting the importance of swift discovery of disinformation to interrupt its exponential spread.

Suggested Citation

  • Adrian Casillas & Maryam Farboodi & Layla Hashemi & Maryam Saeedi & Steven Wilson, 2024. "(Dis)Information Wars," NBER Working Papers 32896, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32896
    Note: POL
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • P0 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - General
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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