Missing Voices: Examining How Misinformation-Susceptible Individuals From Underrepresented Communities Engage, Perceive, and Combat Science Misinformation

Abstract

This study examines how misinformation-susceptible individuals from historically excluded and marginalized communities engage with science topics (e.g., climate change, vaccines, and health/wellness) and interpret misinformation and corrective intervention strategies. Two focus groups reveal that most participants are highly distrustful of authority figures, celebrity endorsements, and fact-checking strategies to combat misinformation. As one of the first studies to explore underrepresented community members’ experiences with science misinformation, findings reveal structural and institutional power dynamics that impede access to accurate information and indicate how missing voices must be included in the efforts at media and information literacy initiatives.