Facing Falsehoods: Strategies for Polite Misinformation Correction

Authors

  • Pranav Malhotra University of Washington
  • Katy Pearce University of Washington

Keywords:

misinformation, correction, debunking, politeness, face, goals, India

Abstract

Misinformation is a serious problem. One gap in misinformation correction research is understanding the role of relational concerns, particularly adherence to politeness norms within relationships. Combining insights from the politeness literature with the misinformation correction strategies scholarship, through an interview study (N = 26) of Indian young adults, we examined how they make sense of their correction experiences with older relatives who share misinformation on WhatsApp. We found that localized relational norms associated with politeness are underscored in these accounts as participants discussed employing strategies that decreased the sense of direct interaction to avoid being viewed as disrespectful and questioning the competency of higher status elders. These included using a credible alternative explanation, broad spectrum immunizing, and an emergent strategy of addressing the broader topic, without mentioning the misinformation incident. Participants’ accounts reflected that these more indirect approaches were aimed toward achieving goals of both correction and adherence to politeness norms.

Author Biographies

Pranav Malhotra, University of Washington

Pranav Malhotra is a PhD candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of Washington. He has a master's degree from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. His research focuses on the social impact of communication technologies, particularly the use of mobile phones and social media and is often situated in the urban Indian context.

Katy Pearce, University of Washington

Dr. Katy E. Pearce is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Washington and holds an affiliation with the Ellison Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies. Her research focuses on social and political uses of technologies and digital content in the transitioning democracies and semi-authoritarian states of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, but primarily Armenia and Azerbaijan.

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Published

2022-04-10

Issue

Vol. 16 (2022)

Section

Articles

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