Gendered Disinformation on Social Media
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Jessica Apai
College:
College of Liberal Arts
Major:
Sociology
Faculty Research Advisor(s):
Julia Nevarez Dejesus
Abstract:
This exploratory study about gendered disinformation on social media platforms will review relevant literature from a standpoint feminist perspective to ask the question of how social media platforms reproduce gendered disinformation through an engagement-based algorithm and create a polarized environment. Many platforms have algorithms that cater to an individual’s interests and encourage spending more time interacting with the platform. Concerns of biases within algorithms have been raised regarding their role in reproducing gender stereotypes and creating a more polarized social media space. A feminist standpoint theory contains a critical perspective that can highlight social media platforms’ superior position and responsibility in monitoring content. Feminist standpoint theory asserts that knowledge stems from multiple social positions such as gender, ethnicity, and class. The lack of concern by large social media companies for their role in creating and perpetuating hostile social media environments contributes to the reproduction of gendered disinformation. An unintegral use of engagement-based algorithms leads to an increased prevalence of extremes and reactive content resulting in the spread of gendered disinformation in regards to misogyny and misandry, which a combination of genuine users and users from fake accounts may influence. Misogyny describes the aversion to or prejudice against women. Misandry describes the aversion to or prejudice against men. Gendered disinformation describes misogynistic language, abuse, and violence against women through the use of false sex-based narratives that are pushed to deter women’s participation in the public sphere. Gendered disinformation attacks a nation’s political stability, prevents free and genuine political discussion, and influences gender expectations. Currently understood definitions of gendered disinformation solely highlight the experiences and attacks against women through misogyny but fail to address the misconceptions about men and the spread of misandry. The scope of gendered disinformation can be increased by including misandry when analyzing false sex-based narratives, and understanding their prevalence on social media. Comparing and contrasting misogyny and misandry can be useful to find patterns in how sexist language is perpetuated on social media, and to be able to identify motives and patterns by fabricated accounts in disrupting the social environment. The conversations and posts that take place on social media platforms can be sorted to discern or expand the scope of what is to fall under the categories of gendered disinformation, misogyny, and misandry and its functioning throughout social media platforms. Future research is proposed to include an analysis of the functions and role of the algorithm concerning conversations about gender, misogyny, misandry, algorithm bias, and their connection to gendered disinformation.