THE TWILIGHT ZONE: CASE STUDIES IN MISINFORMATION & MASS MEDIA

Abstract

Misinformation and disinformation have arguably always existed in American society. However, over the last three decades, with advancements across mass communication, the spread of misinformation has become much more prevalent. As the landscape of mass media advances, so too, does the problem of misinformation. Misinformation spreads across mass media platforms, such as mainstream news media and social media, reaching larger audiences than ever before. The ways in which we consume (mis) information and the speed at which we do so has radically changed. The effects of misinformation leave us relatively defenseless, due to our human inclination to engage in motivated reasoning, or emotion-based reasoning, and due to phenomenon such as the illusory truth effect, or our proclivity to believe false information after repeated exposure. As a surplus of misinformation is disseminated across mass media, we move closer to a “post-truth” society, which comes with dangerous consequences. This collection of case studies explores the disseminators of disinformation across mass media and the effects of mis/disinformation, illustrating its deadly consequences in America. The overarching theme across each case is the notion that mis/ disinformation disrupts our connection to facts, logic, and reality, leaving us incapable of making rational and informed decisions. Utilizing interdisciplinary theories from communication studies and the social sciences, I examine the top disseminators of mis/disinformation across three key cases: a 2015 disinformation campaign waged against Planned Parenthood, disseminated across mainstream news media; 2020 election-related misinformation disseminated on Facebook, in then-President Donald Trump’s political advertisements; and 2020/2021 coronavirus misinformation disseminated by Fox News and its pundits. These cases expose mis/disinformation as a threat to public safety, a threat to democracy, and a threat to our public health. When we live in a society that spreads misinformation Abstracts 15 like wildfire, we can quickly begin living in what resembles an episode of The Twilight Zone.