Conspiracy theories, misinformation topics of free Lehigh University lecture
Written by Jim Deegan on February 23, 2022
Conspiracy theories, misinformation topics of free Lehigh University lecture
By Megan Frank
February 23, 2022
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A Lehigh Valley professor plans to present years of research on factors that have fueled misinformation in the Digital Age.
Anthony DiMaggio is an associate professor at the Department of Political Science at Lehigh University who studies how people consume media and the news.
“The traditional gatekeepers – like NPR, The New York Times, CNN, and so on – have been challenged by people who now curate their own information and share sources without necessarily any real concern with factual accuracy,” said DiMaggio.
He says some people have lost trust in mainstream news. He also says the growth of social media means conspiracy theories can be more easily spread.
“People who consume social media are much more susceptible to buying into things like QAnon [and] election propaganda,” said DiMaggio.
Dimaggio says some social media users are also turning to lesser-known platforms in order to interact with like-minded people. But he says those spaces can also lead to false information being more easily spread.
The free virtual lecture titled, “Conspiracy Theories and the Manufacture of Dissent,” takes place this afternoon from 4:30-6 p.m. Visit Lehigh University’s website to sign-up.
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