Political Rumors

More about the book

Rumors and the misinformation they spread significantly impact American politics, undermining trust in government, fostering hostility toward truth, and swaying public opinion on popular policies. The effects are evident in issues like vaccination rates and discussions surrounding the 2020 election. The persistence of widely held misinformation raises concerns about the functionality of democracy. In this work, Adam Berinsky examines why discredited stories about politicians and policies capture public attention and identifies who is most likely to believe and act on these narratives. He reveals that rather than a few individuals believing numerous conspiracies, many people subscribe to some conspiracies, with partisans more inclined to accept false rumors about opposing parties. Drawing from extensive social science research and original data, Berinsky highlights the dangers of basing political decisions on rumors. While he acknowledges there is no single solution to misinformation, he suggests effective strategies, such as targeting uncertain citizens instead of "true believers" and considering the credibility of the message's source, as neutral third parties often fall short. Ultimately, the long-term resolution lies in disincentivizing misinformation tactics employed by political elites and opinion leaders who shape public discourse.