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Unraveling the Truth: Investigating the Spread of Fake News on Facebook During the COVID-19 Crisis

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Communication and Applied Technologies (ICOMTA 2023)

Part of the book series: Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies ((SIST,volume 375))

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed global challenges in effectively communicating and preventing the spread of emergencies, amplified by the proliferation of fake news. Verification platforms played a crucial role in combating false information during the initial months of the outbreak. This study analyzes fake news prevalence in Peru during the COVID-19 crisis, using data from 114 viral news items on Facebook via the Chequeado verifier website, of which 70 were identified as fake. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating scientific, analytical-synthetic, and statistical methods, along with interviews and surveys, to uncover Facebook's significant role in the dissemination of misinformation and confusion by ant vaccine groups. The research highlights the urgent need for a collaborative strategy to counteract misinformation, utilizing real-time AI algorithms for detection and providing journalists with reliable data.

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Acknowledgements

This study has been supported partly by the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Communication, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, 15023, Perú

    Paola Palomino-Flores

  2. School of Education, Universidad Andrés Bello, 8370134, Santiago, Chile

    Ricardo Cristi-López

  3. Business School University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 003378, USA

    David Paul

Authors
  1. Paola Palomino-Flores
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  2. Ricardo Cristi-López
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  3. David Paul
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paola Palomino-Flores .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Málaga, Spain

    Daniel Barredo Ibáñez

  2. Rúa da Maestranza, A Coruña, Spain

    Laura M. Castro

  3. Complejo Cultural Universitario, Puebla, Mexico

    Araceli Espinosa

  4. Circunvalación ao Campus Universitario, Vigo, Spain

    Iván Puentes-Rivera

  5. Campus Vida, Avenida do Doutor Ángel Jorge Echeverri, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Paulo Carlos López-López

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© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Palomino-Flores, P., Cristi-López, R., Paul, D. (2024). Unraveling the Truth: Investigating the Spread of Fake News on Facebook During the COVID-19 Crisis. In: Ibáñez, D.B., Castro, L.M., Espinosa, A., Puentes-Rivera, I., López-López, P.C. (eds) Communication and Applied Technologies. ICOMTA 2023. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 375. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7210-4_21

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