Online users' attitudes toward fake news: Implications for brand management

Abstract

This study examines brands' vulnerability to fake news. The rapid spread of online misinformation poses challenges to brand managers, whose brands are co-created online, sometimes to the detriment of the brand. There is a need to identify the information sources that are likely to be trustworthy and to promote positive consumer attitudes toward brands. The data for this study were taken from a Flash Eurobarometer of 26,576 respondents across 28 European countries. Cluster analysis and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) were used to analyze the data and unveil users' attitudes toward fake news. The findings show that users' attitudes toward fake news differ among European countries. Younger and tech-savvy users are more likely to recognize fake news and are consequently able to evaluate digital information sources without relying on policy interventions to limit the impact of fake news. Brand managers can use the findings of this study to better understand different kinds of users' susceptibility to fake news and reshape their social media branding strategies accordingly. It is hoped that this paper will encourage further research on brand management in relation to fake news and promote the widespread adoption of best practices in social media communication.

Arresting fake news sharing on social media: a theory of planned behavior approach

“…Further, it is essential to break fake news into discrete categories such as disinformation (deliberately sharing false information to mislead) discussed by and misinformation (false or inaccurate information sharing accidentally or unintentionally) (Karlova and Fisher, 2013). Therefore, it is a challenge for online users to identify news's credibility on social media (Moravec et al, 2019;Borges-Tiago et al, 2020). The scholarship has tried to provide a foundation for future research by introducing the conceptual characterization of fake news based on social and psychological theories and after that proposed approaches to detect fake news on social media (Burkhardt, 2017;Shu et al, 2017;Sun et al, 2013;Jin et al, 2016;Khan and Alhazmi, 2020).…”

“…It has been argued that the efficiency of detecting fake news through text or content analysis is not satisfactory as fake news mimics as a legitimate source of information (Torres et al, 2018). Many users also struggle to differentiate fake from real information on social media (Moravec et al, 2019;Borges-Tiago et al, 2020). Fake news is affecting the user's trust and perceptions (Balmas, 2012).…”

The closer I am, the safer I feel: The “distance proximity effect” of COVID‐19 pandemic on individuals' risk assessment and irrational consumption

“…These consumers, therefore, have to rely on secondary sources (e.g., news, WOM) for information. Given the prevalence of unproven, biased, or even fake information, consumers are more likely to get exaggerated or inconsistent information, making the situation seem more serve and uncertain (Borges‐Tiago et al, 2020 ; Di Domenico et al, 2021 ; Pennycook & Rand, 2019 ). As a result, individuals further from the crisis may evaluate the situation less objectively and are more likely to panic about the virus.…”

Fake News Mapping the Fakeness through Scholarly Output Lenses

“…A study evaluating the vulnerability of fake news on 26576 respondents across 28 European countries reveals that users' attitude towards fake news varies among different European countries. According to the study, techsavvy and younger users are more likely to spot fake news and assess digital information sources without relying on outside help 30 .…”