Fighting Infodemics: Labels as Antidotes to Mis- and Disinformation?!

Abstract

Infodemics—particularly the spread of misinformation and disinformation—are recognized as global threats to democracy, public health, and social cohesion. In this inquiry, the authors explore the marketing origins of infodemics to consider their content, genesis, and evolution. The authors conduct a systematic literature review to (1) synthesize the multidisciplinary research on mis-/disinformation (including marketing, public policy, psychology, information systems, computer science, and political science) and (2) develop a prescriptive and generative framework to stimulate research that helps counteract infodemics via disclosures and warning labels. The model considers the ways that label characteristics impact consumer response to mis-/disinformation, as well as how contextual and consumer factors may interact with aspects of labels to drive affective and cognitive responses, subsequently influencing attitudes, intentions, and behaviors related to labels, media content, and others. The influence of other consumers, as well as firm and policy interventions, on these outcomes is also considered. Thus, this inquiry presents a comprehensive model that bridges emerging literature across disciplines to present a holistic view of both infodemics and infodemic-related warning labels and proposes directions for future research and practical solutions related to the use of warning labels to counteract infodemics.