Conservatives Bombarded With Facebook Misinformation Far More Than Liberals In 2020 Election, Study Suggests::Misinformation thrived in conservative echo chambers—but there were no liberal equivalents, according to the findings.

  • Hypersapien@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    The reason is simple. Misinformation sticks with conservatives more than liberals. With liberals, someone posts evidence that the story isn’t true and the whole thing fizzles out. If someone tries posting counter evidence in a conservative forum, they get banned.

    There’s no money in trying to push misinformation to liberals.

    • Peanut@sopuli.xyz
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      11 months ago

      i would note that nothing is without nuance. while nowhere near comparable, there are some liberals that are also new-age hippies. (B.C. canada) that aren’t 100% on their fact checking.

      but that’s unavoidable in any group that is large and diverse enough.

      i think it’s a cultural mentality that discourages critical thinking which leads to most conservative ideology to begin with.

      • phillaholic@lemm.ee
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        11 months ago

        You’re right. The Far-Left has the same problem. Pretty much any anti-establishment group falls into this. Difference is, the far-left has no political power and they don’t want to exterminate people.

    • prey169@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      I can’t say this is true. I feel like liberal echo chambers tend to be far more punishing for those who disagree. Where most conservatives I know will try to have a healthier discussion

      • Cleverdawny@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        No, he’s right. It’s not a matter of opinion, either, study after study shows that conservatives are far more accepting of misinformation and far more likely to spread it.

        In my experience, they’re also far less tolerant of dissenting views. I mean, they’re the kings of culture war boycotts and cancel crusades, moral panics, and their latest thing is to call anyone who steps outside of their sexuality box a pedophile.

      • Max-P@lemmy.max-p.me
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        11 months ago

        It depends. What I’ve seen of conservatives trying to debate in leftist circles is typically presenting blatantly obvious misinformation as an “opinion” and then going shocked pikachu when they get banned for misinformation/debating in bad faith. The tone between the two sides is typically vastly different: conservatives tend to argue in a very assertive and authoritative tone whereas liberals tend to be nuanced.

        • phillaholic@lemm.ee
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          11 months ago

          It’s been ten years since I’ve last had a good faith discussion with someone across the isle and it’s not me. Part of that is those who i used to discuss have somewhat distanced themselves from that ideology after 2016, but every topic otherwise devolves into some insane talking point devout of reality. You can’t debate someone who will no agree on simple facts.

      • PsychedSy@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I don’t really tiptoe around conservative coworkers or friends even when we disagree heavily. With some of my left friends I have to be careful, but most of them are willing to have honest conversations. There’s a very narrow band on both sides that are willing to have a conversation and the best approach is often different. It could be how you communicate or personal biases. Never really know.

      • phillaholic@lemm.ee
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        11 months ago

        Yea sure. If the topic is how the earth is flat, Jews run the world, or other conspiracy theory or white supremacists bullshit I’m going to shut that shit down immediately. If you make good faith arguments it’s fair game.

      • scarabic@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        It’s part of the problem that intellectual weaklings consider it “punishment” for their opinions to be destroyed with facts and evidence. You’re right that a conservative board is much more likely to be a fertile ground for endlessly entertaining fringe views, but you’re wrong that this is “healthy.”