13. How a False Accusation Spreads in Greenfield’s Echo Chamber

In the fictional town of Greenfield, a rumor on social media falsely accuses a local business owner, Tom Henderson, who is not particularly loved by his neighbors because he holds too liberal political views in a very conservative town, of criminal activities. The rumor, amplified by the town's echo chamber, an environment where people only encounter information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own, on platforms like TownTalk, leads to Tom's social isolation and harassment.