Overview

Using a geographic lens to examine the adoption and dissemination of, and attention to ‘fake news’, this timely and important book explores how misinformation in the digital age calls attention to the multiple geographic dimensions of online fictions, conspiracy theories and political disinformation. Chapters delve into how social and digital media have rescaled and disrupted relations of trust and authority in the (mis)information age. The book draws on quantitative data and qualitative cases to shed light on the geographies of misinformation, covering urban legends, political rumors, information weaponization, and Climategate, as well as trade and financial fictions. The book explores in depth climate change misinformation, conspiracy theories and other critical contemporary events such as Pizzagate, Russian-led overseas political interference campaigns, and Cambridge Analytica. Geography and environmental studies scholars will benefit from the analysis of the denial of global climate change and geographic lens the book uses. It will also be an important read for practitioners and policy makers looking for a helpful reference summarizing interdisciplinary work on misinformation in accessible prose.

Full Product Details

9781789904888

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Reviews

'Misinformation in the Digital Age: An American Infodemic provides an important and much-needed account of the causes and consequences of declining trust in, and reliance on, traditional epistemic authorities in the United States today. Stephens, Poon, and Tan highlight the roles that social media, a fragmented media market, and foreign actors have played in legitimizing authoritarian charisma at the expense of scientific and journalistic predominance. Covering topics such as authorship democratization, news deserts, adversary-sponsored disinformation, algorithmic agency and manipulation, and conspiracy theories, this illuminating book provides the definitive geographical perspective on the mischief of misinformation in contemporary American society.' -- Bryan T. Gervais, University of Texas at San Antonio, US 'Misinformation in the Digital Age: An American Infodemic has carved out a nice space in a crowded field by bringing an underused lens to the analysis - geography. Their topic is timely, and the theory has legs. This readable book can inform theory building beyond the scope of its contents.' -- Jason Gainous, University of Louisville, US, Author of Tweeting to Power, and Editor of the Journal of Information Technology & Politics 'Misinformation has never been more important, and more of a threat, to politics, society, or the economy. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how misinformation is circulated across geographies and within networks. This powerful book changes that and brings together a wealth of research into misinformation in the digital age.' -- Mark Graham, University of Oxford, UK

'Misinformation has never been more important, and more of a threat, to politics, society, or the economy. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how misinformation is circulated across geographies and within networks. This powerful book changes that and brings together a wealth of research into misinformation in the digital age.' -- Mark Graham, University of Oxford, UK

Author Information

Monica Stephens, Department of Geography, Durham University, UK, Jessie P.H. Poon, Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, US and Gordon K.S. Tan, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore

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