Social media influencers increase the toxicity and power of misinformation, research shows

Social media influencers (SMIs) can perpetuate the flow of misinformation online because of the unique relationship they have with their followers, research led by Cardiff Business School finds. For an article published in the journal Psychology & Marketing, academics analyzed brand-related misinformation and associated user comments spanning 47 brands across nine industries over a three-year period. It is the first study to measure the extent and types of toxicity generated by influencers versus regular users.