2026/02/24 by Amir Karami, Nima Kordzadeh, Serena Harn
Computer Science · Neuroscience · Social Sciences · #Deterrence (psychology) #Deterrence theory #Disinformation #Health communication #Information Dissemination #Misinformation #Misinformation and Its Impacts #Psychological intervention #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment #Social media #Spam and Phishing Detection
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/0960085x.2026.2620412
published in European Journal of Information Systems 35(4), 737-764 (Palgrave Macmillan)
openalex publication_date 2026/02/24 · openalex created_date 2026/03/06 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
In the realm of social media, information dissemination is pivotal, yet it is tainted by the proliferation of misinformation propagated by both bots and humans, bearing consequential impacts on individuals and society. To address this issue, social media platforms have implemented removal, reduction, and informing interventions, acting as deterrence mechanisms to dissuade users from engaging in the spread of misinformation. Nonetheless, the sustained effectiveness of these interventions on bots and humans remains unclear. Drawing on deterrence theory, this study examines the efficacy of social media interventions on bots and humans sharing health misinformation. Our results show most interventions have sustained effects on bots and their activities for years after implementation. However, the interventions may not have significant deterrence effects on humans and their activities. Our findings offer important theoretical and practical implications by highlighting the importance of studying both bots and humans and developing creative strategies to tackle health misinformation dissemination.