#1065 Daniel Williams: Is the Science of Misinformation Reliable?

Feb 28, 2025

Daniel Williams, a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sussex, dives deep into the intricate world of misinformation. He explores its role as a symptom of societal issues, challenging the idea that it's simply a result of external campaigns. The conversation scrutinizes who is responsible for combating misleading information and addresses the rising influence of AI in this landscape. Williams also evaluates the efficacy of fact-checkers, revealing the complexities behind their impact on public understanding.

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INSIGHT

Defining Misinformation

Misinformation studies struggle to define "misinformation" effectively.
"Demonstrably false" information is often not misleading, while truly misleading content is rarely "demonstrably false".

INSIGHT

Fake News Prevalence

Fake news is less prevalent than assumed, comprising a tiny fraction of media diets.
Most people get news from mainstream sources, which rarely publish fake news.

INSIGHT

Misinformation as a Symptom

Misinformation is often a symptom of deeper problems, not the root cause.
These include distrust of institutions, conspiratorial thinking, and hyper-partisanship.

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Dr. Daniel Williams is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sussex. He works mostly in the philosophy of mind and psychology. His primary research interest at the moment is on how various forms of irrationality and bias are socially adaptive, enabling individuals to achieve social goals that are in conflict with epistemic goals.

In this episode, we talk about the science of misinformation. We discuss what misinformation is, and misinformation as a symptom of other problems. We discuss who should call out misleading information, as misinformation as a moral panic. We talk about AI-based misinformation. Finally, we discuss how to handle misinformation, and the fact-checkers.

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