Investigating the Effects of Misinformation as Infopathogens: Developing a Model and Thought Experiment
Roger D. Magarey,
Thomas M. Chappell,
Kayla Pack Watson
Abstract:Previously, it has been shown that transmissible and harmful misinformation can be viewed as pathogenic, potentially contributing to collective social epidemics. In this study, a biological analogy is developed to allow investigative methods that are applied to biological epidemics to be considered for adaptation to digital and social ones including those associated with misinformation. The model’s components include infopathogens, tropes, cognition, memes, and phenotypes. The model can be used for diagnostic,… Show more
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