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How are Asian Americans affected by online misinformation?

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3 months ago

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Like the vast majority of people, my smartphone is often the first thing I look at in the morning and the last thing I look at before falling asleep. My iPhone serves as my alarm, my GPS, and my music player. Most importantly, it's the primary way I communicate with loved ones and stay on top of an evolving and overwhelming news cycle. I’m not alone in this regard.

A recent Pew study indicates 86 percent of American adults say they “at least sometimes” get news from a smartphone. Another study found that 20 percent of Americans feel “overloaded by information.” While these numbers provide some useful insights, many existing studies of American media consumption and social media use fail to closely analyze — or omit entirely — a key segment of the population: Asian Americans. Compared to the average American, Asian Americans have drastically different media consumption habits. For first-generation and limited-English proficient individuals, these contrasts are even greater.

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The need for nuance

I use WeChat, for example, to lurk in extended family group chats, watch cooking videos, and see pictures of my cousin’s newborn baby. But for first-generation Chinese Americans like my parents, WeChat — a popular instant messaging and social networking platform used by members of the Chinese diaspora — is a key source of local, national, and international news. This subtle difference highlights a larger problem in current research, which flattens a diverse community of dozens of ethnic groups into a high-achieving, tech-savvy monolith, and assumes someone like me, who was born and raised in the United States, has the same habits as newer arrivals and English-language learners. Despite Asian Americans being the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, many conversations around misinformation and media literacy do not consider Asian Americans

Such misconceptions and the limited nuanced research into Asian American media consumption habits inspired my team at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC to learn more. We conducted 12 focus groups with 101 Asian American individuals between the ages of 15 and 91. We curated diversity across ethnic groups, immigration generation, and English-language proficiency in the participants we recruited. Through the sessions, we tested hypotheses about media consumption based on anecdotal evidence and personal experiences. These sessions had additional personal connections for me: They took place where I grew up (metro Detroit), where I went to college (Washington, D.C.), and where I live now (the San Francisco Bay Area).


We must better understand the insidious ways misinformation impacts our communities.

It was an opportunity to hear directly from the diversity of voices in my community, and a rare chance to document the experiences of Asian Americans in their 70s and 80s (and even a few in their 90s). We learned a humbling fact: Survival was their central concern on a daily basis — not politics. When talking about older generations’ susceptibility to misinformation, I sometimes find myself making dismissive comments about “lack of political understanding” or “political apathy.” Hearing the worries of these folks underscored the importance of empathy and understanding why certain individuals may scorn or turn away from politics.

American centrism obscures reality

Language limitations play a part, too — but not in the way many may think. In an American context, people usually refer to how limited English fluency impacts an individual’s abilities to consume news, forcing them to turn towards alternative media sources. In contrast, we found that limited fluency in the languages of their parents or ancestors made it more difficult for second- and later generation Asian Americans to keep up with news from their home countries, subjecting them to “U.S.-centric” views of the world. I fall into this category. While I consider myself Chinese-English bilingual when it comes to speaking and listening, my Chinese reading and writing abilities are around an eighth-grade level. As a result, I gravitate towards English-language sources.


A media outlet cannot simply translate from English into, say, Korean and expect their content to be digestible or understandable to all Korean Americans.

Communicating cultural context and nuance, which isn't as straightforward as translating the text from one language to the other, is also important. A media outlet cannot simply translate from English into, say, Korean and expect their content to be digestible or understandable to all Korean Americans. Factors like immigration generation and language ability impact the sources individuals seek out, and translated resources have limitations, two issues our report, "Beyond Language Translation: Asian Americans, News and Information Seeking, and the Circulation of Problematic Narratives Online," dives into.

Building a more culturally-relevant media environment

Across the demographics we interviewed — from residents in metro Detroit suburbs to San Francisco’s Chinatown — individuals cited more trust in local news than national outlets, describing them as more insulated from partisan politics. I was happy to hear this — in the various places I have lived, local news sources have always helped me feel connected to and informed about my immediate community. At a time when credible journalism is increasingly paywalled and attacked by politicians, it is more important than ever to protect news at the hyper-local level. And well-informed communities are best equipped to navigate and combat misinformation, conspiracy theories, scams, and more.

To ensure Asian Americans have access to accurate and relevant information, we must uplift media education designed by and for communities. Vietnamese American elders who are skeptical of non-traditional media sources should be offered in-language media literacy courses addressing their skepticism in a culturally competent, empathetic manner. Younger Asian Americans who get their news through social media and are experimenting with generative AI need training on ethical, safe use. Rather than simply offering translated voting materials, community organizations should educate community members on how elections may be different in the United States compared to individuals’ home countries.

And more than ever, we must better understand the insidious ways misinformation impacts our communities — and how we can fight back.

Jenny Liu is the senior manager of disinformation and misinformation policy for Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, a nonprofit advocacy network dedicated to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans in pursuit of a more equitable society. This column represents the opinions of the author.

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Multiple porn sites sued by Florida attorney general

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22 hours ago

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August 6, 2025

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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is suing several porn companies, according to a press release on Tuesday.

Uthmeier states that these porn sites aren't complying with Florida's age-verification law, which went into effect on Jan. 1. The law, HB 3, requires sites that publish a "substantial portion" of material that is "harmful to minors" to use a method to prove that visitors are over 18. HB 3 requires this method to keep personal information anonymous and be conducted by a nongovernmental, independent third party.

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Florida's version of age verification is similar to that in other states, but some are more specific in that they require scanning a face or a government ID. These laws started to sprout up in states in 2022, beginning with Louisiana, and since then, free speech advocates and adult industry workers have told Mashable that the laws won't work for their intended purpose. A preliminary study out of NYU also suggests that age-verification laws don't work.

One reason is that they can be circumvented with software like VPNs, so visitors can pretend to be elsewhere. Another is that not every single website will comply.

Now, Uthmeier is suing companies that operate out of the Czech Republic, including the parent companies of XVideos and XNXX:

  • Webgroup Czech Republic (which operates XVideos)

  • NKL Associates (XNXX)

  • Sonesta Technologies, Inc. (BangBros)

  • Traffic F (an advertising network)

The AG is also suing GGW Group and GTFlix TV, distributors of GirlsGoneWild. The latter apparently also operates out of the Czech Republic.

The press release states that Uthmeier wrote two letters to two of the companies in April, demanding that they comply or face legal action.

"Multiple porn companies are flagrantly breaking Florida's age verification law by exposing children to harmful, explicit content. As a father of young children, and as Attorney General, this is completely unacceptable," Uthmeier stated in the press release. "We are taking legal action against these online pornographers who are willfully preying on the innocence of children for their financial gain."

When SCOTUS upheld Texas's age-verification law in June, experts told Mashable that it was a blow to free speech, as such laws quell adults' free speech, while also not actually stopping minors from accessing porn. Yet, these laws have also extended outside the U.S., as the UK has enacted age verification just last month. Already, internet users have found a way to bypass the law: using a photo of a video game character.

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Leaks may have revealed the iPhone 17 lineup release date

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22 hours ago

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August 6, 2025

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According to leaked documents, Apple may be gearing up to unveil its iPhone 17 lineup — including the iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro — on Sept. 9.

The rumor originates from iPhone-Ticker, a German blog, and was picked up by 9to5Mac, which reports that a local wireless carrier leaked internal documents pointing to an early September reveal.

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While still unconfirmed, the date tracks with Apple’s usual playbook. The tech giant typically holds its iPhone launch events in the second week of September, excluding 2020, which was disrupted by COVID. The company also favors Tuesday announcements, though last year’s reveal was pushed due to the presidential debate.

If the leak holds true, we could be just weeks away from Apple’s next big drop.

This year, the spotlight is on the iPhone 17 Air, Apple’s rumored ultra-thin flagship measuring just 5.65mm thick. As Mashable’s Alex Perry put it, "that’s even thinner than a pencil."

Meanwhile, if you’ve been paying even casual attention to Apple leaks, most of the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro details are already out in the wild. One of the most eye-catching leaks is the new orange finish for the Pro models, which, to some (mostly me), is similar to the color scheme for the Charlotte Bobcats.

Aside from that, 9to5Mac notes that if the rumored Sept. 9 reveal date holds, Apple will likely stick to its usual rollout pattern—meaning pre-orders could open that Friday, Sept. 12, with the official launch landing a week later on Sept. 19.

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Delta and other airlines are working with an AI startup that personalizes prices

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22 hours ago

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August 6, 2025

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Artificial intelligence may soon play a bigger role in your air travel fares.

Airlines are reportedly working with AI companies to deliver "personalized" prices to customers by using AI tools to analyze their personal information and data.

Delta Air Lines is currently using AI technology from the Israeli startup Fetcherr for some domestic flights, said President Glen Hauenstein in an earnings call last month. Hauenstein said the technology is still being tested, but told shareholders that Delta intends to expand its use of AI by the end of this year. As of now, the airline uses AI for only 3 percent of its domestic flight fares, but wants to increase this to 20 percent, according to ABC News.

However, in a recent letter to members of Congress, the company denied using AI tools to price-gouge customers, as Reuters reported last week.

Fetcherr is one of the prominent suppliers of AI-powered dynamic pricing, and it already works with several airlines, including Delta, Azul, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet, and Royal Air Maroc, according to Aviation Week. Delta has said it doesn't share personal customer data with Fetcherr.

But the airline has come under scrutiny for its rhetoric around using AI to optimize some fare prices. US lawmakers, including Democratic Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, have accused Delta of "telling their investors one thing, and then turning around and telling the public another," said Gallego, who also said he believes Delta is engaging in "predatory pricing."

In a letter to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, Senators Gallego, Mark Warner, and Richard Blumenthal cited a comment made during an investor conference last December by Hauenstein, who said the company's AI price-setting technology sets fares by predicting "the amount people are willing to pay for the premium products related to the base fares."

"Consumers have no way of knowing what data and personal information your company and Fetcherr plan to collect or how the AI algorithm will be trained," reads the lawmakers' letter. The senators asked Delta to explain what data it collects and uses for its fares. Delta hasn't specified what data it relies on to set these individualized prices.

In response, the airline assured US Democratic senators that their ticket pricing "never takes into account personal data" but also spoke of the merits of using AI to set prices.

"Given the tens of millions of fares and hundreds of thousands of routes for sale at any given time, the use of new technology like AI promises to streamline the process by which we analyze existing data and the speed and scale at which we can respond to changing market dynamics," read Delta's letter to lawmakers.

While Delta insisted to US lawmakers that it’s not fixing prices with AI, recent revelations about Fetcherr raise serious questions about its technology.

Bloomberg reported this week on an alarming white paper by Fetcherr co-founder and chief AI officer Uri Yerushalmi. In the paper, Yerushalmi describes working with an unnamed airline to use artificial intelligence to create a pricing structure so complicated that it would “go beyond human cognitive limits,” according to Bloomberg.

So, even if AI isn’t used to “fix prices” in the traditional sense, it could still be used to make fare pricing so complex that consumers inadvertently end up paying more.

Rival airlines have also expressed concern. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said using AI to set individualized fares could have an impact on consumer trust. He also said the strategy is not something AA would do.

Dynamic pricing has long been a part of the airline industry's strategy, but the use of AI has the potential to drastically change travel bookings. As airlines look to maximize revenue by harnessing AI, many policy experts fear consumers could face much higher prices, as expressed to The Lever. Another looming concern is that AI-powered pricing schemes can lead to price collusion between companies. Some, like Scott Keyes of Scott’s Cheap Flights, believe prices could actually be lowered, as he wrote in Time.

Last week, Democratic lawmakers Greg Casar and Rashida Tlaib introduced the Stop AI Price Gouging and Wage Fixing Act, a piece of legislation that would ban companies from using AI to fix prices or wages based on Americans' personal data. The lawmakers cited Delta's plans to increase their use of AI to set prices.

"Giant corporations should not be allowed to jack up your prices or lower your wages using data they got spying on you," said Congressman Casar in a statement. "Whether you know it or not, you may already be getting ripped off by corporations using your personal data to charge you more. This problem is only going to get worse, and Congress should act before this becomes a full blown crisis."

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