Start Date

10-12-2017 12:00 AM

Description

Identity verification is one of the tools social media platforms use to fight against the creation of fake posts, by making users more responsible for their behaviors on the Internet. However, does identity verification work as expected? With a unique dataset, we find that identity verification would significantly reduce users’ probability of creating fake posts, but only when users cannot obtain privileged credibility after verification. If identity verification is accompanied by privileged credibility, the association between identity verification and the creation of fake posts is significantly positive. Our explanation is that the benefit of privileged credibility may induce malicious users---who can easily cheat the verification system using fake identities---to manipulate their verified status before they create fake posts. An exogenous shock on users’ verification decision caused by a policy change provides us a unique context to find causal evidence.

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Dec 10th, 12:00 AM

Cure or Poison? Impact of Identity Verification on the Creation of Fake Posts on Social Media

Identity verification is one of the tools social media platforms use to fight against the creation of fake posts, by making users more responsible for their behaviors on the Internet. However, does identity verification work as expected? With a unique dataset, we find that identity verification would significantly reduce users’ probability of creating fake posts, but only when users cannot obtain privileged credibility after verification. If identity verification is accompanied by privileged credibility, the association between identity verification and the creation of fake posts is significantly positive. Our explanation is that the benefit of privileged credibility may induce malicious users---who can easily cheat the verification system using fake identities---to manipulate their verified status before they create fake posts. An exogenous shock on users’ verification decision caused by a policy change provides us a unique context to find causal evidence.