Mediated Testimony, or the Epistemology of Reporting the Words of Others

Claveau, François and Maëlle Turbide (forthcoming). Mediated Testimony, or the Epistemology of Reporting the Words of Others. Social Epistemology.

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In epistemology, the analysis of testimony has traditionally centered on the interplay between speaker and hearer. This focus overlooks the complexity of many real-world testimonial exchanges. This article introduces the role of the mediator, distinct from speaker and hearer, and at work in diverse testimonial settings (e.g., journalism, social media, search engines). Expanding beyond the conventional dyadic model, we propose a three-agent framework for mediated testimony, in which a mediator (M) in context (C) reports to the hearer (H) what the speaker (S) conveyed (p), accompanied by informational cues (I). Highlighting the potential pitfalls of mediated testimony, we explore its normative landscape, pointing out two principles that play a key role in contemporary debates over social media: TRANSPARENT RELEVANCE and MEASURED GATEKEEPING.

This content has been updated on February 18th, 2026 at 22 h 13 min.