The Ukraine crisis, the Brexit referendum and the US election campaign have shown that the formation of political opinion online faces new threats: so-called social bots, in particular, use automation to autonomously search for topics on social networks, share posts and leave comments that are difficult to distinguish from those of real users. There is a risk that, through the sheer volume of automated posts and interactions, social bots could draw attention to extreme positions or trigger a shift in the public discourse.

But to what extent do computer programmes disguised as humans actually manipulate political discourse on Facebook? Can their mass-generated posts influence public opinion and even political decision-making processes? And what role does the phenomenon of ‘fake news’ play in these algorithm-based communication processes? The research project is addressing these questions in the context of the 2017 Bundestag election.

With regard to potential manipulative interventions, three effects that operate independently of one another are examined here: (1) the generation of attention, the setting of the agenda and the shaping of images as a means of directly influencing users through messages (re-)produced by bots, (2) the influencing of the perceived climate of opinion by reinforcing certain viewpoints; and (3) the influencing of metrics (e.g. the number of comments), which often serve as reference points for users in perceiving and assessing discussions.

In addition, the phenomenon of ‘fake news’ is examined in greater detail. ‘Fake news’ – which is usually phrased in an emotional and biased manner – exploits the interaction-oriented mechanisms of social media platforms, which consequently inevitably become a breeding ground for conspiracy theories. Based on initial research, various effects of fake news on online discussions are also examined here: (1) the direct influence on users who believe the falsehoods being spread, (2) the polarisation of the online public through the publication and sharing of fake news on Facebook; and (3) the potential influence of emotional framing and sensationalism on more frequent and prolonged dissemination, and the resulting higher likelihood of accidental exposure among members of the public who do not view elites and the media critically.

Project manager:

• Prof. Dr. Marcus Maurer
• Prof. Dr. Christian Schemer
• Prof. Dr. Birgit Stark

Project responsibility:

• Dr. Pascal Jürgens
• Simon Kruschinski M.A.

Funding:

• Research Focus: Media Convergence