Social media or political strategy?

‘Early research viewed misinformation as a social media problem, with false stories spreading virally through online networks,’ says lead researcher Dr Petter Törnberg of the UvA. ‘However, our findings show that misinformation isn’t universal or a general condition of our media ecosystem. Instead, it's specifically associated with radical-right populist parties that spread misinformation as a political strategy, gaining significant electoral advantages as a result.’

The new study looked at 32 million tweets from parliamentarians from 26 countries over six years and several election periods. The researchers combined this with data on political parties, elections, governments and democracy indicators (from the Parlgov and V-Dem databases), as well as fact-checking sources like Media Bias/Fact Check and Wikipedia’s Fake News list. This allowed them to identify specific patterns linking misinformation to political parties and their ideological leanings. The study shows that radical right populism is the strongest predictor of misinformation dissemination, with neither left-wing populism nor right-wing politics alone significantly linked to misinformation.

Misinformation and democracy

In the aftermath of Brexit and the 2016 US election, misinformation emerged as a major concern, seen as undermining democratic processes by eroding public trust in institutions and distorting electoral decision-making. Early research suggested that misinformation was the result of digital media platforms producing an information ecosystem within which low-quality information thrived.

However, more recent studies have revealed that most people in fact do not consume or share misinformation. Instead, misinformation is concentrated among specific electoral groups, and often associated with partisan identity or distrust of institutions. The new research therefore suggests studying misinformation as an expression of party politics.

Exclusionary ideologies

The new research suggests that misinformation is not linked to populism broadly speaking, nor is it associated with right-wing parties, rather it is specifically associated to radical right populism. Törnberg explains: ‘Previous theoretical work has argued that misinformation is an expression of the anti-elitism of populist movements, which has often been associated with “post-truth” politics. However, our new study argues that it is the exclusionary ideologies and hostility toward democratic institutions of radical right populism that drives misinformation campaigns.’

Left-wing populists, by contrast, focus on economic grievances and participatory democracy, making misinformation less central to their communication strategies. Radical right populists, however, emphasise cultural grievances and opposition to democratic norms, creating fertile ground for misinformation to flourish.

Role of alternative media

The study highlights the symbiotic relationship between radical right populists and the competitive attention economy shaped by digital media. ‘Radical right populists have been effective in creating and utilising alternative media ecosystems that amplify their viewpoints, ranging from online news websites and blogs to more traditional forms of media like television and radio, which have been reconfigured to cater to populist radical right narratives,’ says Törnberg. These ecosystems serve to strengthen their ideological messages, create a sense of community among followers, and provide a counter-narrative to mainstream media reporting. This alternative media landscape not only amplifies misinformation but also shapes radical right populist movements, often propelling fringe voices into political prominence.

Broader implications

The current wave of misinformation and radical right populism stems from a deeper legitimacy crisis in democratic institutions. Factors such as rising inequality, dissatisfaction with the neoliberal consensus, and the growing power of business elites have eroded public trust, creating an environment ripe for exploitation. The research underscores the need to address this crisis to safeguard democratic processes.

Törnberg: ‘By exploiting declining trust in institutions and leveraging alternative media ecosystems, radical right populists use misinformation as a tool to destabilise democracies and gain political advantage. The findings underscore the urgent need for policymakers, researchers, and the public to understand and address the intertwined dynamics of misinformation and radical right populism.’

Publication details

Petter Törnberg, Juliana Chueri. When Do Parties Lie? Misinformation and Radical-Right Populism Across 26 Countries. International Journal of Press/Politics, 13 January 2025, https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612241311886