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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Jon Henley Europe correspondent

Far-right populists much more likely than the left to spread fake news – study

AfD co-chairwoman Alice Weidel talks online to Elon Musk during the election campaign launch in Halle, Germany.
The AfD co-chair Alice Weidel speaking to Elon Musk during the German party’s election campaign launch in Halle. Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA

Far-right populists are significantly more likely to spread fake news on social media than politicians from mainstream or far-left parties, according to a study which argues that amplifying misinformation is now part and parcel of radical right strategy.

“Radical right populists are using misinformation as a tool to destabilise democracies and gain political advantage,” said Petter Törnberg of the University of Amsterdam, a co-author of the study with Juliana Chueri of the Dutch capital’s Free University.

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