Fake news about 5G in smart cities:Reasons and consequences

Abstract

The objectives of this paper are to consider reasons for fake new related to the use of 5G in smart cities and their consequences on the way in which smart cities function, as well as to understand how misinformation can affect public perception, infrastructure development, and social dynamics. What makes this research relevant is is the increasing role of 5G in smart cities, in public transport, traffic patterns, parking, street lighting, e-health, monitoring air quality, and energy management. Understanding fake news about 5G shows how technological progress still inspires fear. The paper relies on prior work regarding technology acceptance, misinformation in digital media, public trust in science and institutions, as well as on existing research on cases of resistance to infrastructure development. The approach is a qualitative analysis of misinformation cases, ranging from conspiracy theories linking 5G to wildfires in Maui and West Kelowna, to health-related fears such as cancer, infertility, and COVID-19 transmission, disseminated mainly through social media. The psychological framework of analysis highlights the emotional and cognitive biases contributing to resistance to 5G. Results show that mistrust in institutions, poor official communication, and the emotional appeal of misinformation contribute to the spread of fake news. Consequences include infrastructure vandalism, delays in digital development, and threats to investment in smart city initiatives. Implications include the use of the findings, which are relevant to policymakers, urban planners, communication strategists, as well for university level researchers as they suggest the need for improved public engagement, transparent communication strategies, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The value of this paper lies in offering a psychological persperctive to analyze the society's reaction to 5G, showing how misinformation can hinder technological progress in smart cities. Emotional perception of 5G is related to resistance to innovation, of which one form is fear of technological progress.