Understanding information credibility evaluation on bounded social media places: A mixed methods study

We examine how people evaluate the credibility of information shared within bounded social media places (BSMPs), low visibility places within social media like private chats, groups, and servers. We conduct interviews with users of BSMPs across multiple social media platforms (N = 35), followed by an experiment comparing message credibility evaluation on BSMPs versus more public places within social media (N = 240). The interviews reveal that BSMPs are associated with a sense of familiarity and intimacy, resulting in people viewing information shared within these places as credible. The experiment further verifies that the perceived intimacy of BSMPs impacts credibility evaluation. This study therefore enhances our understanding of credibility evaluation on BSMPs, including the underlying mechanisms and affordances that inform this process.