Disinformation Linking Migration and Crime in Spain: Classic Moral Panics in a New Digital Ecosystem

Abstract This article addresses the impact of social networks on the propagation of disinformation surrounding immigrants and their connection to crime in Spain, emphasizing whether the new media context has altered the classic processes of moral panic formation. To this end, we consulted the database of hoaxes constructed by Maldita, the Fact-Checking Agency, and conducted a dual analysis. The first analysis was a time series analysis, and the second was a content analysis of the hoaxes. The findings suggest that the contemporary digital disinformation phenomenon manifests in irregular 'waves', which do not directly correspond to external media events. Furthermore, while the topic of crime remains a central element in the construction of moral panics, the current climate of polarization in the new media environment appears to see a shift in focus towards the dissemination of false information, attributing statements to both political and media agents regarding their stance on migration, rather than on the connection between migration and crime itself. This paper discusses the extent of these changes as well as the aspects that remain unmodified.