Unequal penalties: user status dynamics in the spread of social media misinformation
利用Reddit面板数据，研究发现低地位用户发布虚假信息时获赞更少、讨论分歧更大，而高地位用户则相反，揭示了用户地位如何影响虚假信息的接受度。
Abstract How do online communities respond when users share misinformation, and do those consequences differ depending on who is speaking? Using a large panel dataset from Reddit, this study examines whether patterns of engagement vary by user status when misinformation is disseminated. We analyze 2 dimensions of engagement: net upvote scores and discursive divergence. Results reveal a notable asymmetry. Among low-status users, misinformation posts are associated with fewer upvotes and substantially higher discursive divergence. In contrast, among high-status users, misinformation posts are associated with relatively higher upvotes and lower discursive divergence. These findings suggest a status-based dynamic within social media platforms, indicating that user status hierarchies may shape how misinformation is received in digital environments.