The rapid rise of social media over the past two decades has brought with it a surge in misinformation.
Online debates on topics such as vaccinations, presidential elections and the coronavirus pandemic are often as vociferous as they are laced with misleading information.
Perhaps more than any other topic, climate change has been subject to the organised spread of spurious information. This circulates online and frequently ends up being discussed in established media or by people in the public eye.
But what is climate change misinformation? Who is involved? How does it spread and why does it matter?
In a new paper, published in WIREs Climate Change, we explore the actors behind online misinformation and why social networks are such fertile ground for misinformation to spread.
Our review of the scientific literature suggests there are several different groups of actors involved in funding, creating and spreading climate misinformation.
Our findings highlight that the misinformation network begins with funding supplied by corporate and philanthropic actors with a vested interest in climate change particularly in fossil fuels.
This money goes to a range of groups involved in producing misinformation. These groups referred to variously as the climate change denial machine and organised disinformation campaigns include political and religious organisations, contrarian scientists and online groups masquerading as grassroots organisations (known as astroturfing).
People in positions of power, such as the media, politicians and prominent bloggers, then repeat and amplify this information in an influencers echo chamber, and from there it reaches a wider audience.
Carbon Brief Ltd