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Poster

A Persuasive Approach to Combating Misinformation

SAFWAN Hossain · Andjela Mladenovic · Yiling Chen · Gauthier Gidel


Abstract:

Bayesian Persuasion is proposed as a tool for social media platforms to combat the spread of misinformation. Since platforms can use machine learning to predict the popularity and misinformation features of to-be-shared posts, and users are largely motivated to share popular content, platforms can strategically signal this informational advantage to change user beliefs and persuade them not to share misinformation. We characterize the optimal signaling scheme and utility when predictions are imperfect by framing this as a linear program and giving sufficient and necessary conditions on the classifier to ensure optimal platform utility is non-decreasing and continuous. Next, this interaction is considered under a performative model, wherein platform intervention affects the user's future behaviour. The convergence and stability of optimal signaling under this performative process are fully characterized. We also experimentally validate that our approach leads to a significant reduction in misinformation, even with weak classifiers, and comment on the broader scope of using information design to combat misinformation.

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