Climate Change Disinformation on Social Media: A Meta-Synthesis on Epistemic Welfare in the Post-Truth Era

Essien Oku Essien ()
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Essien Oku Essien: Department of Communication, Culture and Media Studies, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-34

Abstract: Climate change disinformation has emerged as a substantial issue in the internet age, affecting public perceptions, policy response, and climate actions. This study, grounded on the theoretical frameworks of social epistemology, Habermas’s theory of communicative action, post-truth, and Foucault’s theory of power-knowledge, examines the effect of digital infrastructures, ideological forces, and epistemic power dynamics on climate change disinformation. The meta-synthesis approach in the study reveals the mechanics of climate change disinformation on social media, the erosion of epistemic welfare influenced by post-truth dynamics, and the ideological and algorithmic amplification of disinformation, shedding light on climate change misinformation as well. The findings show that climate change disinformation represents not only a collection of false claims but also a broader epistemic issue sustained by digital environments, power structures, and fossil corporations. Right-wing populist movements, corporate interests, and algorithmic recommendation systems substantially enhance climate skepticism, intensifying political differences and public distrust in scientific authority. The study highlights the necessity of addressing climate change disinformation through improved scientific communication, algorithmic openness, and digital literacy initiatives. Resolving this conundrum requires systemic activities that go beyond fact-checking, emphasizing epistemic justice and legal reforms.

Keywords: climate change; disinformation and misinformation; epistemic harm; ideological polarization; post-truth; algorithmic amplification; social media (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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