For many people, their first impulse is to factcheck — reply with statistics, make a debunking post on social media or point people towards trustworthy sources. One source described how her strongly conservative mother continued to share false stories about Hillary Clinton, even after she (the daughter) repeatedly debunked the claims. People share false claims to signal in-group allegiance, a phenomenon researchers describe as “identity-based motivation”. Technical structuresAll of the above is supported by the technical structures of social media platforms, which are engineered to reward engagement. While misinformation clearly thrives in this environment, the sharing function of messaging and social media apps enables it to spread further.

Source: Irish Examiner January 22, 2026 12:50 UTC