Exploring the intersection of misinformation and public agenda: a closer look to a looming political scandal

Abstract

When a problem receives massive dimensions in society or affects the common good, then it is considered as a public problem. The value and usefulness of information to citizens sometimes comes to be degraded by misinformation in order to serve some purposes, as an influence tool. The efforts of powerful actors to push their agenda in the public discussion combined with information falseness emerges a possible problematic situation of agenda setting mixed with misinformation. In the article we discuss the case of Pizzagate as a conspiracy theory according to certain sources, which occupied the public debate, near the US presidential elections. We underline the risks of information falseness for public security and the need of state measures to limit the phenomenon.