Ill-grounded hope and desperation as drivers of the consumption of disinformation.

Abstract

The continued consumption of disinformation negatively affects the social order and public health. The lack of critical thinking and reflection are among the most commonly cited explanation for the continuous consumption of disinformation by individuals and society.1 This paper offers an alternative factor affecting the pervasive consumption of disinformation. It posits that ill-grounded hope amid public desperation drives the consumption of disinformation. In the USA, disinformation has led to the attack on Capitol Hill in January 2021, where protesters stormed the Congress in a bid to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.1,2 In the Philippines, it has led to the killing of a former government official by a social media influencer.1,3 Wherein, the social media influencer expected the liberation of his town from decades of corruption, illegal drug trade and poor services by killing the official.1,3 Common to both events, the consumption of disinformation and their consequential actions were driven by hopes of fulfilling their aspirations and addressing the desperation of their social context. The protesters were desperate about the election results and, thereby, yielded to disinformation that offered them the hope of achieving their desired election results.2 Similarly, the social media influencer’s action was driven by unsubstantiated claims that the government official was involved in government corruption and poverty in his hometown.3