Misinformation shaped beliefs or actions in half of Capitol riot cases

Evidence

The violent riots at the Capitol may not have been a consequence of misinformation alone, but an extensive investigation by the independent fact-checker PolitiFact, who reviewed the files of over 400 of those arrested, showed that in at least half of the cases, misinformation shaped the defendants’ beliefs and actions. Many of those arrested had been highly active on social media; several even cited being ‘duped by fake news’ as a defence in court. — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof, 9

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Christian nationalism substantially influenced the January 6 Capitol attack — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 128