Human and algorithmic contributions to misinformation online-identifying the culprit

Abstract

In times of massive fake news campaigns in social media, one may ask who is to blame for the spread of misinformation online. Are humans, in their limited capacity for rational self-reflection or responsible information use, guilty because they are the ones falling for the misinformation? Or are algorithms that provide the basis for filter bubble phenomena the cause of the rise of misinformation in particular in the political public discourse? In this paper, we look at both perspectives and see how both sides contribute to the problem of misinformation and how underlying metrics shape the problem.