Information disorders on social media can have a significant impact on citizens' participation in democratic processes. To better understand the spread of false and inaccurate information online, this research analyzed data from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The data was collected and verified by professional fact-checkers in Chile between October 2019 and October 2021, a period marked by political and health crises. The study found that false information spreads faster and reaches more users than true information on Twitter and Facebook. Instagram, on the other hand, seemed to be less affected by this phenomenon. False information was also more likely to be shared by users with lower reading comprehension skills. True information, on the other hand, tended to be less verbose and generate less interest among audiences. This research provides valuable insights into the characteristics of misinformation and how it spreads online. By recognizing the patterns of how false information diffuses and how users interact with it, we can identify the circumstances in which false and inaccurate messages are prone to become widespread. This knowledge can help us develop strategies to counter the spread of misinformation and protect the integrity of democratic processes.

翻译：社交媒体上的信息紊乱可能对公民参与民主进程产生重大影响。为更好地理解虚假和不准确信息在网络中的传播，本研究分析了来自推特、脸书和Instagram的数据。这些数据由智利专业事实核查人员在2019年10月至2021年10月期间收集并验证，该时期正值政治与健康危机。研究发现，在推特和脸书上，虚假信息的传播速度更快且触及更多用户；而Instagram似乎受此现象影响较小。虚假信息更易被阅读理解能力较低的用户分享；相比之下，真实信息往往措辞简洁，对受众的吸引力较低。本研究为认识错误信息的特征及其在线传播机制提供了宝贵见解。通过识别虚假信息的扩散模式及用户与之互动的方式，我们能够辨别虚假和不准确信息易于泛滥的情境。这一认知有助于制定应对错误信息传播的策略，从而保护民主进程的完整性。