Analysis of climate change disinformation across types, agents, and media platforms.

From Digital Culture & Society

Hassan, I., Musa, R. M., Latiff Azmi, M. N., Razali Abdullah, M., & Yusoff, S. Z. (2023). Analysis of climate change disinformation across types, agents, and media platforms. Information Development, 26666692211486-. https://ocul-bu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_BU/p5aakr/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1177_02666669221148693 https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669221148693

Contents 1 Context 2 Overview 3 Strengths and Weaknesses 4 Assessment

[edit] Context

This study examines misinformation about climate change in Malaysian online media by looking at 124 articles published between 2015 and 2021. The results show that politicians, groups, and unidentified entities are the main sources, and that false information is frequently used. Social media and politics are recognized as crucial factors influencing conversations on climate change. The report emphasizes the need for a comprehensive strategy to address climate change denial and urges activists, the media, and governments to work together to combat misinformation.

[edit] Overview

The authors used the socio-technical model of media effects to examine misinformation about climate change. Prominent issues covered include identifying the misinformation-spreading actors, the kinds of disinformation transmitted, and the exploited media outlets. The study investigates which media outlets politicians, organizations, and other entities like to use and whether they are more likely to spread kinds of misinformation. The socio-technical approach is applied to investigate how media, sources, and players work together to produce the impacts of disinformation. According to the study, social media and politics have a significant impact on the discourse and misinformation around climate change. The authors advocate for teamwork in the fight against misinformation about climate change. The study used a quantitative content analysis methodology to investigate misinformation about climate change in different media outlets. Between August 2015 and October 2021, information was gathered from The Star and New Straits Times, two of Malaysia's largest English-language publications. A total of 124 articles were examined, with particular attention paid to the following topics: media platforms (social media, broadcast media, online news platforms, print media, and unidentified sources), types of disinformation (misleading content, manipulated content, fabricated content, false context, satire and parody, and imposter content), and agents of disinformation (politicians, netizens, organizations, academics, business tycoons, celebrities, and anonymous agents). The results showed that the most common types of climate change misinformation were inaccurate and manufactured and that politicians, groups, and anonymous actors were more likely to disseminate them.

[edit] Strengths and Weaknesses

The article's notable strength is its thorough examination, using quantitative content analysis, of the misinformation actors, types, and media platforms related to climate change. The careful analysis of 124 articles from newspapers in Malaysia offers an important overview of the situation. Understanding the complex dynamics is aided by the accurate identification of agents, such as politicians and organizations, and the identification of common types of disinformation. The small sample size from only two newspapers, however, raises the possibility of weakness and points to the necessity of more representation. The paper would also benefit from a deeper examination of the incentives that agents use to disseminate false information, as this would provide more insightful mitigation techniques. The article's application of the socio-technical model of media effects, which offers a theoretical framework for comprehending how different elements interact to spread misinformation about climate change, is another strong point. The lack of a longitudinal analysis, which restricts insights into changes over time, maybe a little limitation, though. Furthermore, the study might potentially increase its impact by exploring the particular effects of disinformation about climate change on public perceptions and behaviours. This would provide a more nuanced dimension to the research.

[edit] Assessment

This article overall is an important and perceptive addition to our knowledge of misinformation about climate change. A nuanced perspective is offered by the comprehensive examination of agents, misinformation kinds, and media platforms as they are framed within the sociotechnical paradigm. The article's impact is increased by designating politicians as well-known disseminators and emphasizing falsified and deceptive material. Although it may be improved with a larger sample and a longer examination, the paper provides a solid basis for further research and provides guidance for initiatives to counteract misunderstanding about climate change. Researchers studying media effects, misinformation mitigation tactics, and the dynamics of climate change communication will find this article to be helpful. Policymakers, activists, and media professionals would gain knowledge to work together to combat disinformation about climate change. Given the circumstances, it makes a substantial contribution to understanding and dealing with the intricate terrain of this disinformation.

Ar19qn 15:04, 1 December 2023 (EST)