Reagan Rowland is a student at West Virginia University, and like 54% of Americans, she gets most of her news from social media. But as convenient as it is, she’s noticed a troubling trend: misinformation is showing up more and more often.
One post stuck with her — a shocking claim about a student overdose that turned out to be completely fabricated.
“It just wasn’t true,” Rowland said. “It never happened. No one died. There were no ambulances. None of it was true. And a whole bunch of people freaked out for nothing.”
The spread of false information isn’t always intentional, but it is fueled by the way social media platforms are designed. Algorithms create your personalized feed based on your engagement: what you click, what you like and even what you simply scroll past. The more time you spend on a post, the more likely the platform is to recommend similar content. If you do see something interesting, whether its true or not, you might decide to share it, which pushes misinformation onto other people’s feeds.
This issue became a central focus during the 2024 presidential debate, especially after major platforms stopped implementing fact-checking measures. Without those guardrails, misinformation spread even more rapidly — particularly extreme political content that algorithms often promote to keep users engaged.
Experts warn that the emotional pull of misinformation is part of the problem.
“Misinformation could be something that is not true, that gets them angry — that kind of rage bait. Or it could be something that actually confirms their biases, that they then want to read about more,” said WVU Journalism Professor Joe Jones.
Despite growing concerns, many users admit they don’t often fact-check what they see online.
“I should fact check more than I actually do,” Morgantown resident Alice Cruz said. “I definitely do fact check, but not as much as I should.”
The takeaway? As we continue to rely on digital platforms for information, staying vigilant is more important than ever. Don’t just scroll — question what you see and always check with reliable sources before sharing.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI then edited by human journalists for accuracy and clarity. WVU News leverages AI to enhance efficiency and accuracy while maintaining a strong commitment to ethical reporting and human oversight.