Episode 6: Disinformation and its consequences, with Prof. Claire Wardle

Send us Fan MailSYNOPSISDr. Claire Wardle is a disinformation expert and communications professor at Cornell University. She joins Rachel and Dan to talk about the history of disinformation study, how new technology introduces new challenges, and about how the information ecosystem might change in the future. She offers insights into the psychology of disinformation. From the conversation, Rachel elaborates on the lens of Friction, and Dan talks about a lens he can only call “Middle of the night.” STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONThe Propaganda of Hearst and PulitzerThe Spanish American War and the Yellow Press (Library of Congress)The Gilded Age (Wikipedia)Bedlam and Squalor and Worse, Oh MyTranscript of August 11 press conference (Roll Call)Trump exaggerates DC crime while ordering police take-over and National Guard deployment (Politifact)Trump’s DOJ claims credit for falling crime rate in DC (Justice.gov)INTERVIEWDr. Claire WardleAustralian drama series about the wellness industry: Apple Cider VinegarJim Acosta “interviews” LLM based on Parkland shooting victimDr. Noc, social media science influencer, who may not be scruffy enough to be believedLENSESFrictionFor designers, "friction" represents how much the experience intrudes on consuming information or completing tasks. Experiences increase the intrusion to discourage destructive actions (like deleting important information). Additionally, it is often said that lies are “low friction” and truth is “high friction”. That is, understanding and internalizing a lie is less cognitive demanding than doing so with the truth. How does the system use friction to engage users’ critical thinking skills? How does the system reduce the friction on high quality information?How does the system titrate the amount of friction in the experience relative to the quality of information?Middle of the nightUsers are most susceptible to disinformation when they are at their most vulnerable, like in the middle of the night with a health scare.How does the system support users who are agitated and vulnerable?How does the format of the information take into account a user who is agitated or vulnerable?How would the system fare if it catered to someone using it in an extreme scenario that prioritized, for example, efficiency or relatability or reassurance?_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design