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Folk theories of fake news

Kazun A.D.,

HSE University, adkazun@hse.ru

elibrary_id: 822971 | ORCID: 0000-0002-9633-2776 | RESEARCHER_ID: K-6835-2015

Article received: 2025.02.27 08:29. Accepted: 2025.07.07 08:29


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2025.06.06
EDN: WLPCMK

Rubric: Russia today

For citation:

Kazun A.D. Folk theories of fake news. – Polis. Political Studies. 2025. No. 6. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2025.06.06. EDN: WLPCMK (In Russ.)

The study was implemented in the framework of the Basic Research Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University).

Abstract

This article draws on 119 semi-structured interviews exploring perceptions of fake news. Analysis reveals three prevalent folk theories of fake news: (1) “Fake news is everywhere,” reflecting a relativistic understanding of facts. Informants expressed a pervasive sense of the ubiquity of disinformation, viewing objective knowledge as unattainable and the boundaries between truth and falsehood as blurred. Truth and falsehood are not perceived as binary opposites but rather as a continuum, illustrating ontological and epistemological relativism. (2) “Fake news is what I disagree with” aligns with confirmation bias and selective exposure. This theory reveals the ideological framing of fake news, where truth is perceived not as objective but as a moral category. A clear “us” vs. “them” dichotomy emerges, distinguishing those possessing “correct truth” from those consuming and falling victim to disinformation. The same news sources may be interpreted as credible or fake depending on the respondent’s viewpoint. (3) “Fake news (mostly) threatens others,” reflecting a third-person effect. Informants believed disinformation disproportionately affects groups differing from themselves, often categorized by age (young vs. old), news source usage (television vs. internet), and political affiliation.

Keywords

fake news, disinformation, relativism, media consumption, post-truth, confirmation bias, selective exposure, third-person effect, folk theories.

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[1] Деятельность социальной сети запрещена на территории РФ (20.06.2022).

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