People, posts, and platforms: reducing the spread of online toxicity by contextualizing content and setting norms

Abstract We present a novel model of individual people, online posts, and media platforms to explain the spread epistemically toxic content such as fake news suggest possible responses. argue that combination technical features, algorithmically curated feed structure, social absence stable social-epistemic norms posting sharing in media, is largely responsible for unchecked online. Sharing constitutes distinctive communicative act, governed by dedicated norm motivated large extent identity maintenance. But confusion about this its lack inherent epistemic checks lead readers misunderstand attribute excess or insufficient credibility allow posters evade accountability—all contributing This can be effectively addressed if (1) people add significantly more context shared posts (2) nudge develop follow recognized sharing.