We all have ideas about how social media and misinformation are affecting us and our world. But, as our guest Prof. Joshua Tucker explains, received wisdom is not the same thing as scientific findings. Join us for a tour de force through how to break down "social media" and "misinformation" into researchable parts that can be theoretically and quantitatively studied -- as well as some seriously surprising findings about both.

Fun fact: This episode was originally going to come later in the season, but the topic is so important we decided to release it sooner.

Follow Josh and the NYU Center for Social Media and Politics at csmapnyu.org.

Josh references a lot of great research. Here are links to all the papers, reports, and books he mentions -- presented in the order of appearance!

1. Tucker et al. 2018. "Social Media, Political Polarization, and Political Disinformation: A Review of the Scientific Literature." Hewlett Foundation.
2. Persily & Tucker, ed. 2020. Social Media and Democracy. Cambridge University Press.
3. Diamond & Plattner, ed. 2012. Liberation Technology. Hopkins Press.
4. Persily, Nathan. 2017. "Can Democracy Survive the Internet?" Journal of Democracy.
5. Tucker et al. 2017. "From Liberation to Turmoil." Journal of Democracy.
6. Guess, Nagler, & Tucker. 2019. "Less Than You Think: Prevalence and Predictors of Fake News Dissemination on Facebook." Science Advances.
7. Aslett et al. 2024. "Online Searches to Evaluate Misinformation Can Increase Its Perceived Veracity." Nature.
8. Allen et al. 2020. "Evaluating the Fake News Problem at the Scale of the Information Ecosystem." Science Advances.
9. Sanderson, Messing, & Tucker. 2024. "Misunderstood Mechanics: How AI, TikTok, and the Liar's Dividend Might Affect the 2024 Elections." Brookings.
10. Allen, Watts, & Rand. 2024. "Quantifying the Impact of Misinformation and Vaccine-Skeptical Content on Facebook." Science.

You can find AJR at jonesrooy.com and @jonesrooy on IG.

Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories.

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