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

Amplifying misinformation is now part of radical right strategy, says Dutch study of tweets by MPs in 26 countries

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 Tornberg of the University of Amsterdam, a co-author of the study with Juliana Chueri of the Dutch capital's Free University.