Individual Submission Summary
Share...

Direct link:

Download

Internet Access and Discussion of Fake News Among Young Voters

Fri, August 31, 2:00 to 3:30pm, Marriott, Vineyard

Abstract

Recently, the topic of “fake news” has received heightened attention. As young people enter the electorate, it is possible that this increased attention could shape their political attitudes and behaviors for years to come, leading to a number of questions concerning their exposure to this topic. Are they receiving a civic education concerning trustworthiness of the news? Are they discussing it with their family and friends? Furthermore, what factors influence their discussion of this topic? In order to examine these questions, we use data from the Youth Participatory Politics Survey Project, a survey of respondents aged 15 – 25 in 2011 with additional survey waves in 2013 and 2015. We examine how frequently young people are involved in discussion of this topic, who is discussing this topic with them, and what factors influence these discussions online and off. We specifically ask how access to the Internet, frequency of online media use, and political attitudes and behaviors influence their discussions of trustworthiness of news found online over time. We further ask whether this discussion varies online and offline as well as whether it varies between their family, friends, and educators. Analysis of the 2011 wave, which can serve as a baseline prior to this recent attention, reveals that young people are most likely to have discussed this topic with an educator. Additionally, better access to the Internet, as well as high levels of participation in and discussion of politics in both online and offline settings lead to increased discussion of this topic.

Authors