Hoaxy
Hoaxy is a web-based search and visualization tool. It helps visualize the spread of information on Bluesky and X (Twitter).
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Hoaxy is a web-based search and visualization tool. It helps visualize the spread of information on Bluesky and X (Twitter).
Last updated
Was this helpful?
Hoaxy assists in unraveling the complex web of information dissemination online, particularly on X (Twitter) and Bluesky. It primarily addresses the problem of mis- and disinformation spreading rapidly on social media platforms. Users can search for a particular topic or keyword on either platform, and it will automatically generate a graph showing the spread of information.
The tool providers saw that (p.1). , social media networks often show us information from people who think like us, creating echo chambers where we see similar views and ideas repeatedly (p.1).
For open-source researchers wanting to verify false claims, it is important to recognize that the anatomy of information dissemination has multiple moving parts: When did a narrative start? Where did it first appear? Who is the source of the narrative? How credible is the source? And who are the receivers/audience? Among the receivers, which accounts forwarded the information? How fast did a particular narrative spread within a particular time-frame?
Hoaxy solves some of these questions through the following key features:
Search: This allows users to find specific keywords, URLs, or users on Bluesky and X/Twitter that may need verification or monitoring.
This offers users a visual representation of data that can illustrate who is sharing the information, the connections between different users, and the chronological order in which the information is spread.
Step 1: Choose either Bluesky or X/Twitter
Step 2: Enter your search terms
Step 3: Hoaxy automatically generates a visualization
Step 4: Analyze the visualization map and its data
Single term (i.e. airstrike)
Phrases (enclosed in quotation marks, i.e. “Kyiv airstrike” )
Combine multiple terms using Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT (i.e. "Kyiv airstrike" AND (report OR news) NOT "false alarm")
For example: "Amazon deforestation" AND (illegal OR logging) has:videos
IMPORT YOUR OWN DATA
Once users have entered the search terms, Hoaxy will generate a visualization containing two things: “Diffusion networks” and “temporal trends”.
Network Graphs or “Diffusion Networks”
The edges are color-coded as follows:
BLUE - reposts ORANGE - Mentions YELLOW - Replies RED - Quotes
GREY - Multiple
Timelines or “Temporal trends”
Middle Panel
The middle panel shows different features that users can change depending on their preferences. It consists of layout options, export options, a 2D or 3D display, and a short clip showing how information spreads.
The tool also allows you to play a short animated clip showing how the nodes and connections are made, and how it unfolds over time, from the beginning date to the end date as displayed on the left panel.
It is advisable to check the graph to see what kind of data and content is being displayed and whether it matches your research topic. To do this, users can select a cluster and click on a node/user account. It will generate a pop-up window showing who that account mentions, replies to, or quotes. It will also share a link to the particular post being discussed. Users can also click on the edges (connecting lines) and this will generate a pop-up window showing the post itself.
The main use case for Hoaxy is for verification and to get a sense of the context in which a piece of information is shared:
X user account
X user account Bearer Token (available if user purchased a Basic, Pro or Premium+ subscription)
Beta Status: Based on its landing page, Hoaxy still appears to be in the beta phase.
This may affect its accessibility and ease of use, especially for users who are less technically inclined. While it sometimes takes a bit longer to load the visualization graphs, it generally performs well.
Date/Time Frame Limitations: based on some tests, Hoaxy automatically chooses a date/time frame for your search. Users have the option to fetch older or newer posts, but the tool sometimes struggles to load the visualization after doing so. Users may try using date and time search operators to see if Hoaxy can fetch posts within a timeframe of interest.
Overall, while Hoaxy is created as a comprehensive tool, its reliance on specific data sources, limited platform scope, and occasional usability issues highlight some gaps in it's capabilties. Hoaxy is best used in addition to other open-source investigative tools.
Contextual Clarity: When sharing the visualization with others, provide sufficient context to prevent misinterpretation.
User Anonymity: While Hoaxy might not reveal individual user identities, the tool can still expose patterns of behavior that could potentially lead to identification.
Afton
If the user is interested in tracking information spread on the Bluesky platform, users must select “Search Bluesky”, and then they can :
.
If the user is interested in tracking information spread on the X platform, users must select “Search X/Twitter”. Then, they can enter search terms in the same way they can use the advanced search feature of X (See X’s guide to building a query or ).
In addition to examining content from Bluesky and X, into the tool’s visualization tool, as long as the data is in the required format: CSV and JSON.
Understand how information spreads between accounts. Identify influencers, clusters, and potential disinformation networks. The tool provider defines these “diffusion networks” as networks that
Within the graphs, users will notice that the connecting lines between accounts have different colors. According to the tool provider
Track the evolution of a topic over time, identifying peak interest and potential turning points. The tool provider describes this as plotting
Open-source researchers can analyze the network of users who shared a piece of information and identify whether the original sources are credible news outlets or dubious accounts known for spreading mis- or disinformation. This can be one of the first steps when trying to get a sense of the spread of a particular claim on social networks. It also provides a clearer understanding of the networks in which a piece of information is being shared as well as the timeframe during which the claim was most active. See for an example of how it was used to debunk “Picklegate” during a presidential campaign season.
Bluesky search and importing your own data is free, but an X/Twitter search requires a Bearer Token that can only be available if the user pays for an .
X/Twitter API Limitations: Due to recent API policy changes, Hoaxy can only access tweets from the past 7 days, limiting the scope of live searches. Mis- and disinformation may be more prevalent on X due to its larger user base. (As of Feb 2024, ) A on X users' experience with news say that 86% of its participants see news on the platform that seems inaccurate.
Network Pruning: The tool may occasionally truncate some diffusion networks to improve performance, potentially omitting relevant data.
Hoaxy can only retrieve and analyze public posts, leaving private conversations unexamined.
Cross-Platform Limitations: Hoaxy requires additional tools to track mis- and disinformation that spills over to other platforms, as it can rapidly spread from one platform to another. The dynamics of information spread vary significantly across different social media. , the spread of misinformation in the Southport protests started on one platform and then migrated to a different platform, where it was even more amplified.
Needs Some Familiarity with Network Analysis for Interpretation: To fully understand and make sense of the data visualizations provided by Hoaxy, it's helpful to have some background knowledge in .
Content Analysis: Hoaxy is not a tool for distinguishing between different types of mis- and disinformation. Users may need additional tools or methods to conduct detailed content analysis and identify various forms of mis- and disinformation accurately. According to “A claim may be a false news article, hoax, rumor, conspiracy theory, satire, or even an accurate report. (Hoaxy) is not meant to be used as a fact-checking tool but rather to understand how disinformation and misinformation is being spread by non-trustworthy accounts.”
is a project of Indiana University's Observatory on Social Media (OSoMe).
Click on a node, and it will show you actions made by that account and who it interacted with. In this example, we did a Bluesky search for @bellingcat.com. On the right side, we selected the account @scrippsnews.bsky.social, and to the left, a pop-up window appears to show the activity. Underneath (shown in green arrows) are links to the post or content being forwarded.
Click on an edge (the color-coded connecting lines) to automatically generate a pop-up window showing the content being shared from one account to another (or from one node to another).
