Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
Unequal penalties: user status dynamics in the spread of social media misinformation
2026-03-14
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.