Information asymmetry can be combated by increasing transparency and sharing information. In the context of the content, this was achieved by Stetson Kennedy who infiltrated the KKK and revealed its secrets on a popular radio program, turning the group's mystery into ridicule and causing a dramatic drop in its membership.

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A situation where one person or group has more information than another is a case of information asymmetry. The book explores this concept by looking at the Ku Klux Klan and at modern real estate agents. For over a century the KKK had been a powerful proponent of racist ideology. The group used information asymmetry such as passwords and secret handshakes to maintain an image of mystery and fear. In the 1940s a journalist called Stetson Kennedy infiltrated the group and revealed its secrets on a popular radio program. This helped to turn mystery into ridicule and KKK membership dropped dramatically.

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Freakonomics

Author Steven Levitt, working with journalist Stephen Dubner, shows how economic theories can be used to analyze social issues. Each of the six essays...

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