When Platform Format Compensates for Source Cues: The Effects of Community Notes on Misinformation Correction on Weibo

This study comprises three online experiments to investigate the differential effects of correction format, Weibo’s Community Notes (CN) versus comments, on misinformation credibility and intentions to share corrections, with the mediating role of descriptive norms and the moderating roles of refuter identity and moral framing. Results consistently indicated that Weibo’s CN reduced perceived misinformation credibility more effectively than comments across all three studies. However, this advantage did not extend to sharing intentions. The effect on misinformation credibility was mediated by descriptive norms and was not moderated by moral framing. Furthermore, the corrective advantage of CN was more pronounced when corrections were issued by ordinary users than by media accounts. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.