Discursive Deflection: Accusation of “Fake News” and the Spread of Mis- and Disinformation in the Tweets of President Trump

Abstract

Twitter is what is commonly described as a "microblogging" social media application. Users can post comments, thoughts, or opinions on various topics as well as share visual media. Bruns (2012) has further highlighted how Twitter incorporates the use of hashtags as a means of structuring the broad range of debates. Speaking to its societal function, Twitter can be understood as "an awareness system that allows for an immediate, fast, and widespread dissemination of information" (Maireder & Ausserhofer, 2012, p. 306), one which "contributes to a broadening of public debate" (Larsson & Moe, 2011, p. 741) on various issues. In relation to political communication, Twitter is increasingly being used within the sociopolitical domain as a channel through which to circulate information during political campaigns and as a gauge of public opinion (Chadwick,

Polarization and Ideological Weaving in Twitter Discourse of Politicians

“…Other studies on political discourse have also reported the use of positive selfpresentation of political leaders, such as posing as good and innocent (Oddo, 2011) in the traditional political platforms, such as speeches. On Twitter, politicians are reported to be frequently presenting themselves as credible and truthful (Ross & Rivers, 2018). The reasons for using these strategies could be multiple which include the desire to establish credibility in the eyes of the public (Ross & Rivers, 2018), "deflection" from criticism (G. Lakoff, 2017), and legitimization such as of an authoritative regime (Boukala & Dimitrakopoulou, 2018).…”

“…On Twitter, politicians are reported to be frequently presenting themselves as credible and truthful (Ross & Rivers, 2018). The reasons for using these strategies could be multiple which include the desire to establish credibility in the eyes of the public (Ross & Rivers, 2018), "deflection" from criticism (G. Lakoff, 2017), and legitimization such as of an authoritative regime (Boukala & Dimitrakopoulou, 2018). In the current context, however, the strategies used by Imran Khan and Maryam Nawaz have different goals and work in opposition to each other.…”

“…Twitter is better known as a conversational blog (Barash & Golder, 2010), and though not developed specifically for the purpose of political deliberations (Himelboim et al, 2013), is increasingly used equally by the public and politicians to express, along with other social functions, political content (see Choi, Park, & Park, 2011;Gulati & Williams, 2010;Hsu et al, 2013;Ross & Rivers, 2018;Smith, 2011). It is serving as a viable platform to reflect prevailing political sentiments and concerns of people (Kreis, 2017).…”

“…The apparent political intentions of using Twitter by the politicians include gaining visibility and electoral support (Kruikemeier, 2014), however, the media can also be used for fulfilling hidden political agendas and motives. One such motive behind Twitter use by politicians, such as that adopted by the United States' President Donald Trump, could be to establish credibility in the eyes of the public by denouncing media criticism and presenting themselves as the only truthful sources of information (Ross & Rivers, 2018). This behavior of Trump on Twitter is labeled as a strategy of "deflection" (G. Lakoff, 2017).…”

Winning on Social Media: Candidate Social-Mediated Communication and Voting During the 2016 US Presidential Election

“…Trump's continual posts about "fake news" were a rallying point for his supporters, but he also posted contestable and sometimes categorically inaccurate content. By doing so, Trump was able to deflect the impact of criticisms of his own inaccuracies by saying news media were doing the same thing (A. S. Ross & Rivers, 2018). Importantly, candidates may come across as most honest on social media, compared with talk shows, speeches, and news interviews, primarily because they are perceived as created by the candidate, users can provide feedback, and individuals may trust candidates posting on a relatively "new" medium (Enli & Rosenberg, 2018).…”