Negotiating reality: How mis/disinformation shapes romantic relationships

Abstract

The rise of mis/disinformation online has turned empirical attention toward the existence and effects of false information for democracy. Yet this work has tended to focus on the effects of mis/disinformation for individual misperceptions rather than interpersonal relationships. In turn, this study looks to explore the relational impact of online mis/disinformation on romantic relationships. Through in-depth interviews (N = 28) with individuals who have terminated romantic relationships due to political difference(s) in the United States, I find that mis/disinformation plays a key role in the termination of romantic relationships, encouraging informational, and relational isolation and disrupting shared reality between partners. These findings advance our understanding of media effects and the growing complication of online mis/disinformation in a polarized society.