How manipulating information affects information diffusion during disasters: The effects of modifying falsehoods versus corrections

Abstract

Information evolves as it is disseminated on social media. However, studies have largely overlooked a major aspect of the diffusion process: how information is modified, the various dimensions of these modifications, and their roles in the diffusion process. To fill these research gaps, we utilize the Information Manipulation Theory (IMT) as a theoretical lens and a unique panel dataset of 71 falsehoods, propagated during five disasters, to investigate how modifying information affects its diffusion. Our exploratory analysis suggests that at least 65 % of the messages shared are half-truths. Although falsehoods had a higher modification rate for the first 700 h, corrections were modified more aggressively and for 100 h longer after that period, owing to competition. Our empirical analysis suggests that modified information, i.e., information that includes unrelated responses such as deflections, self-referents, additional details, and more information, is generally shared more frequently than unmodified information.

Furthermore, for falsehoods, a one-unit increase in these modifications increases diffusion; however, when manner and quantity modifications increase by one unit for corrections, sharing increases by 115.1 % and 102.2 %, respectively. Although relation modifications from corrections cause an over 149 % increase in sharing at the information diffusion introduction stages, they do not occur in the maturity and decline stages, and are counterproductive in the growth stages. We also find that negatively charged corrections stimulate virality more than positive ones.

These findings have important implications for researchers and decision-makers.