2021/10/16 by Samia Benaissa Pedriza · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #Misinformation and Its Impacts #Social Media and Politics #Media Influence and Politics
paper · pdf · doi:10.3390/journalmedia2040036
openalex publication_date 2021/10/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
The dissemination of fake news during the conduct of an electoral campaign can significantly distort the process by which voters form their opinion on candidates and decide their vote. Cases of disinformation have been happening since the rise of social networks and the last presidential election held in 2020 in the United States was not an exception. The present research aims at analyzing the ways in which political disinformation is generated by different types of sources (social networks users, the media and political candidates) through various channels for communication (social and traditional media). Quantitative and qalitative methods were used to analyze a sample of news published during the election and verified by the most important fact-checking organizations in the United States and Europe. The results indicate that users of social networks spread false information on equal terms with presidential candidates, although the channel preferred to spread misleading messages was social networks in 67.4% of cases. The candidates relied on the use of classic disinformation strategies through traditional media, although the greatest degree of disinformation occurred when conspiratorial hoaxes were circulated through social networks.