Alternative Counter-News Use and Fake News Recall During the COVID-19 Crisis

In this study, a random-quota survey (N=967) was conducted and validated the claim that people who already have an ideologically biased worldview are particularly likely to use alternative-counter news. They recalled having seen more alternative news than people who do not consume alternative media and counter-news were also found to mediate the relationship between counter-hegemonic attitudes and fake news recall. While not all counter-news is automatically fake news, these publications do attract a specific audience and further “pollute” the information ecosystem.

The full article can be read here.