OPINION

Apparently, an ‘independent’ study commissioned by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet suggests that people are being exposed, shock horror, to misinformation. But is it really a problem?

New Zealanders are regularly exposed to misinformation and disinformation on social media, although the magnitude of such content has waned since the election, a study commissioned by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet suggests.

Out of 3.9 million social media posts from New Zealanders across a range of platforms in 2023, including mainstream networks like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, around 1.4 percent were classified by an independent research team as “harmful incorrect information”. The researchers, from the University of Auckland’s Hate and Extremism Insights Aotearoa group, preferred this term to mis/disinformation as it speaks to impact rather than intent.

The data suggests that, in amongst cat pictures, funny memes and family updates, Kiwis see something that is harmfully inaccurate around once for every 71 posts.

Newsroom

And? So what? 1.4 per cent? Hardly a huge problem that needs millions of dollars spent on ‘research’ that shows the actual issue is absolutely tiny.

Talk about pearl-clutching from both Marc Daalder, who seems to pimp these sorts of spurious stories with gay abandon, and also the researchers.

The researchers said they were surprised by the relatively low percentage of incorrect information, but that it could be just the tip of the iceberg with a larger proportion of the population holding more moderate versions of the same inaccurate ideas.

Newsroom

Surprised? Why? Again, so what if some hold these views; they’re nuts, no one cares.

This just isn’t a problem, and now there is proof that it isn’t a problem. Job done. Time to wind up these research units and the Disinformation Project.

Kate Hannah and Sanjana Hattotuwa have been obsessively washing their hands for no reason.

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As much at home writing editorials as being the subject of them, Cam has won awards, including the Canon Media Award for his work on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang story. When he’s not creating the news,...