Seventh International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Compared to Generation Z, which has been the focus of much research on opinion formation via social networks and the study of fake news, disinformation, and misinformation, little attention has been paid to the baby boomer generation. Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) did not grow up with cell phones or the Internet, so, unlike subsequent generations, there is no natural anchoring and use of digital information. Much of the news is instead consumed via traditional media. However, as several surveys show, not only are baby boomers now equipped with Internet-enabled devices, but their presence in and use of social media has increased in recent years. Digital information, in particular (fake) news shared via social media, also contributes to the formation of their political opinion. Results on the sharing behaviour of over-50s during the 2016 U.S. presidential election show that this age group belongs to the so-called “supersharers” who are responsible for a large share of disseminated false news, especially via Facebook. This paper addresses the question of whether there is a relationship between fake news recognition skills and baby boomer affiliation. In order to be able to answer the research question, the current state of research from academia and practice is presented. The central is a quantitative study designed and evaluated by the authors themselves based on the presumed connection between the ability to recognize fake news and belonging to the baby boomer generation.