Investigating misinformation sharing practices in the Italian context. The role of news-finds-me perception, political knowledge, and ideological extremism

This study investigates the individual-level political and media predictors of the unintentional sharing of false news (misinformation sharing) – through social media and instant messaging services – in Italy, a context characterized by low resilience to online disinformation, a pluralistic-polarized political system, and a highly partisan media environment. Using 2023 survey data, it examines the effects of news-finds-me perception (NFMP) and political knowledge (PK), and their interaction with ideological extremism in influencing misinformation sharing. Findings show that NFMP increases the probability of being involved in misinformation-sharing practices, while PK has a significant «protective effect» – except among far-right individuals. This is the first empirical evidence of NFMP’s role in misinformation sharing in Italy, where such perception is very high. Whereas prior studies focused on elections and crises, this research shows that PK retains a protective role even in «peace times». Moreover, this study provides new insight into the ideological asymmetries that characterize misinformation engagement in Southern European democracies.