New Zealanders are regularly exposed to misinformation and disinformation on social media, although the magnitude of such content has waned since the election, a study commissioned by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet suggests.
Out of 3.9 million social media posts from New Zealanders across a range of platforms in 2023, including mainstream networks like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, around 1.4 percent were classified by an independent research team as “harmful incorrect information”. The researchers, from the University of Auckland’s Hate and Extremism Insights Aotearoa group, preferred this term to mis/disinformation as it speaks to impact rather than intent.
The data suggests that, in amongst cat pictures, funny memes and family updates, Kiwis see something that is harmfully inaccurate around once for every 71 posts.
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And? So what? 1.4 per cent? Hardly a huge problem that needs millions of dollars spent on ‘research’ that shows the actual issue is absolutely tiny.
Talk about pearl-clutching from both Marc Daalder, who seems to pimp these sorts of spurious stories with gay abandon, and also the researchers.
The researchers said they were surprised by the relatively low percentage of incorrect information, but that it could be just the tip of the iceberg with a larger proportion of the population holding more moderate versions of the same inaccurate ideas.
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Surprised? Why? Again, so what if some hold these views; they’re nuts, no one cares.
This just isn’t a problem, and now there is proof that it isn’t a problem. Job done. Time to wind up these research units and the Disinformation Project.
Kate Hannah and Sanjana Hattotuwa have been obsessively washing their hands for no reason.
Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the BFD - where this article was sourced.
1 comment:
Beware "experts" in misinformation warning of threats of misinformation and the dangers of the public holding views agreeing with misinformation.
For your information, these days, the advice is likely to be more misinformation because your (mis)information doesn't agree with their misinformation and they want to cancel you.
In the good old days misinformation was called opinion.
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