The Spread of Misinformation within WeChat
Living in a technological dependent day has resulted in various issues regarding the use of technology. Such issues include the spread of misinformation through different social media avenues. Outlets such as Facebook and the increasingly more popular WeChat have all had their fair share with this pressing issue. And although Facebook has been actively attempting to alter its algorithm to prevent the spread of “fake news”, WeChat faces something different.
With its 889 million active users, WeChat “emerged as a primary avenue for pro-Trump sentiments and mobilization, especially for first-generation Chinese immigrants” during the primary 2016 presidential election (Zhang). However, what plagues this social media outlet is its inherent characteristics. According to Chi Zhang, “WeChat is notoriously opaque.” Because APIs are hidden, it becomes very difficult to perform analysis on content and behavior (Zhang). Furthermore, all news and articles shared within this channel are only generated from content-based accounts (Official Accounts or OAs) to its subscribers and disseminated through groups of friends, family, or people with similar interests. There does not exist a search engine, and as a result, all information is spread solely through this manner. This, along with low barriers to entry as an OA allows for the straightforward spread of misinformation. Unlike Facebook, which can alter its algorithm to filter fake news, WeChat “cannot tweak platform design to prevent the spread of misinformation or the presence of filter bubbles” (Zhang). As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult to deal with falsities within WeChat, especially when it comes to large political events such as the 2016 election.
All the results seen within WeChat in regards to the spread of misinformation can be attributed to information cascades. Although not applicable to an open network as seen in Facebook, everything read on WeChat falls through a cascade of friends and acquaintances. When one person gains access to an article, he or she either decides to share it with other friends or stop the cascade where it is. When an article gains enough popularity and views, it may seem relevant to continue to share it further down. As a result, it mirrors the same intuition that we have applied to different scenarios in class. Thus, when it comes to the spread of misinformation within WeChat, it becomes especially difficult to stop because of the information cascade that applies to all shared articles. Now, the only method of stopping such spread is through individual reports or through WeChat censorship, which is also an issue in and of itself.
https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/wechat-misinformation-china.php