Why Do Hoaxes Spread So Fast On-line?

How do social media hoaxes, such as bogus Facebook warnings about clone accounts, spread so quickly? Human nature, mostly, experts say.

According to a study conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology social media hoaxes go viral because:

1. Fake stories reach people quicker than the truth - People are more quick to share lies and false information than the truth on social media, according to the 2018 study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

2. People don’t check before sharing - A 2016 study discovered that 59 percent of all links shared on social networks aren’t clicked before being reposted, reported Forbes.

3. Confirmation bias - “Once we have formed a view, we embrace information that confirms that view while ignoring, or rejecting, information that casts doubt on it,” Shahram Heshmat wrote for Psychology Today. “Confirmation bias suggests that we don’t perceive circumstances objectively.”

4. The more we see something, the more we believe it - It may not make any sense, but it’s human nature - the more times we see something, the more likely we are to believe it’s true, according to The Washington Post.

5. Information overload handcuffs fact-checking - A study published in the Nature Human Behavior journal suggests we’re bombarded by so much information on social media that we just can’t make sense of it all.     (The Olympian, October 7, 2018)
--

The above points on how false information spreads is not just limited to Facebook. Any time you share information with a group, by a social media post, e-mail, or some type of bulletin or newsletter you are subject to the same effects. The more "official" your publication of information is, the greater your potential to give credibility to fake news and hoaxes.

Official publications should just never copy and post information as found. Always fact check your information, cite your sources, and include analysis and comment as appropriate to clarify information.