Gondwe, G., Madrid-Morales, D. orcid.org/0000-0002-1522-5857, Tully, M. et al. (1 more author) (2025) Misinformation and digital inequalities: Comparing how different demographic groups get exposed to and engage with false information. Mass Communication and Society. ISSN 1520-5436
Abstract
This study examines the extent to which digital inequalities, often associated in the literature with certain social demographics (e.g. age or place of residence), shape media users’ exposure to and engagement with misinformation. Using data from 24 focus group discussions conducted in six African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), we describe media users’ diverse experiences with false information and discuss whether these experiences can be better understood if we take into account inequalities in access to digital technology and digital literacy skills. We find that, while some older media consumers living in rural areas say they feel less exposed to misinformation online, they still come across online falsehoods through other means. We also show that this group is often perceived by others as the most vulnerable to misinformation because of assumed lower digital literacy skills. Our data, however, call for a problematization of this view, given that critical consumption of the media is prevalent among older adults. We conclude by highlighting the need for nuanced and targeted interventions to combat the spread of misinformation that consider the diverse range of experiences of media consumers in the countries under study.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Department of Journalism Studies (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 14 Mar 2025 16:34 |
Last Modified: | 14 Mar 2025 16:34 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | Taylor and Francis Group |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/15205436.2025.2474139 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:224478 |