Social Media Transparency: Why Verified Authors Matter
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 83% of U.S. adults believe the spread of false and inaccurate information is a major problem. This concern cuts across race, political party, and income level. And when it comes to health, the numbers are high as well - 74% say health misinformation is a serious threat.
So why does this keep happening? Because bad actors have learned how to profit from chaos. They hijack real news stories, lace them with distortions and outright lies, and push them to thousands of followers. These viral falsehoods fuel polarization, deepen distrust, and raise the “emotional temperature” of America.
The public has had enough. People are demanding greater accountability online. One simple solution: optionally require websites, blogs, and news outlets to disclose who is behind the content. When readers can see a verified author or organizational source, trust improves—and misinformation becomes harder to spread.
What Congress should do
Congress must act now to pass laws that create optional transparency in online content. This isn’t about censorship. It’s about giving Americans the choice to know who’s speaking to them.
Key features of a practical solution:
Optional, not mandatory – Users could use an optional filter to view only content of identity verified authors or sources.
Credibility markers – Simple icons or indicators could identify verified individuals, organizations, and/or AI-assisted content.
These changes won’t solve every problem with misinformation or false news, but they would give Americans a powerful tool to separate fact from manipulation. In an age where lies spread faster than truth, author transparency is the bare minimum we should expect from a healthy democracy.
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