Immigrants at risk of election misinformation

As election season nears, English-speaking Americans have many reliable news resources at their disposal. However, immigrants from Hispanic and Asian communities, particularly those from diverse linguistic backgrounds such as Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese, face unique challenges in accessing accurate information. This makes them more vulnerable to election misinformation.

Young Eun Moon, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at the MIDAS lab at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, joined “Arizona Horizon” to delve into this pressing issue.

“The immigration population, more broadly speaking communities of color, have a very different experience with American news media,” Dr. Moon said. “I would say that they are living in two separate, different information worlds within the same country.”

Dr. Moon explained misinformation disproportionately affects minority groups due to language barriers, which hinder their access to credible news sources. She underscored the necessity of addressing the specific information needs of immigrant communities, as their interactions with news media are markedly different from those of the general American population.

“It’s a huge impact on these populations because it impacts their ability to make an informed decision about their lives and their communities, including the democratic process like an election,” Dr. Moon said. “The immigration population currently is 46 million, and it is projected to go to 65 million by 2065.”

Dr. Moon advocates for more inclusive and accessible news practices to ensure immigrant communities receive accurate and timely information. By highlighting these disparities, she aims to raise awareness about the critical role of tailored communication strategies in combating misinformation and empowering immigrant voters.