Claire Wardle is an expert on user generated content. She says bad actors can mislead users through the power of narrative and repetition. We recorded this interview in late February before the coronavirus appended life as we know it. Now that we've all retreated to our homes, this conversation about misinformation has never been more important.
How can tech companies help flatten the curve? First and foremost, they must address the lethal misinformation and disinformation circulating on their platforms. The problem goes much deeper than fake news, according to Claire Wardle, co-founder and executive director of First Draft. She studies the gray zones of information warfare, where bad actors mix facts with falsehoods, news with gossip, and sincerity with satire. “Most of this stuff isn't fake and most of this stuff isn't news,” Claire argues. If these subtler forms of misinformation go unaddressed, tech companies may not only fail to flatten the curve — they could raise it higher.