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June 10, 2024 Story by: Editor
PHILADELPHIA — A significant 79% of Americans express concern that the information they encounter online may be “false or fake,” deliberately spread to create confusion, with people of color being the most affected, according to a recent poll.
This survey, released by media watchdog organization Free Press, involved 3,000 participants nationwide. It highlighted that 76% of respondents are worried about encountering disinformation regarding the presidential election online.
When asked about their primary news sources, over half of the respondents cited Facebook and YouTube.
The poll revealed that Black Americans rely on these platforms for news more frequently than their white counterparts. Specifically, 63% of Black respondents turn to Facebook for news “a few times a week,” compared to 56% of white respondents. Additionally, 65% of Black people use YouTube for news, while 51% of white people do the same.
“People of color, being high users of online media for news and information, are therefore more likely to be affected by the decisions of platform companies and legislators,” stated S. Derek Turner, senior policy analysis advisor for Free Press.
The poll was conducted with the assistance of the African American Research Collaborative, a group of pollsters, scholars, and researchers, along with BSP Research, a polling firm.
Both domestic and foreign entities have specifically targeted people of color with disinformation to disrupt their votes and incite racial discord.
Timothy Welbeck, director of Temple University’s Center for Anti-Racism and professor of African American studies, explained that Facebook and YouTube are crucial news sources for Black individuals because they are “key sites for community building.” Source: GazetteXtra
“People marginalized in everyday life find like-minded community on social media,” Welbeck said. He emphasized that “Black people understand that disinformation is a tool to disrupt social progress,” noting its use in obstructing voting access and fostering voter apathy.
Welbeck added that Black Americans have been intentionally given incorrect polling place addresses and voting times, sometimes by Russian bots. These operatives have also spread falsehoods about race and social issues to incite unrest within the Black community, as documented by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Facebook has faced criticism for allowing its algorithms to amplify fake news and hate speech. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, while describing Facebook as a “positive force in the world,” has apologized for not fully recognizing the platform’s responsibilities regarding misinformation and other issues.
