I've a concern regarding the usage of been in the following case.
It has proved that one of the main reasons for the rapid propagation of false information is suspicious users.
It has been proved that one of the main reasons for the rapid propagation of false information is suspicious users.
Which sentence is correct and why?
The phrase "it has been proved" means that something has been demonstrated to be true.
It has been proved that one of the main reasons for the rapid propagation of false information is suspicious users.
prove
2 Demonstrate to be the specified thing by evidence or argument.
if they are proved guilty we won't trade with them
The phrase "it has proved" means the way something has become.
I had wondered if the trip would be a failure, but it proved to be a success.
prove
2.1 Be seen or found to be.
the scheme has proved a great success
The relevant usages of the verb prove here are
prove [verb]
[transitive verb]
1a: to establish the existence, truth, or validity of (as by evidence or logic)
- prove a theorem
- the charges were never proved in court
- [it was proved that smoking damages health]
...
[intransitive verb]: to turn out especially after trial or test
- the new drug proved effective
So the second sentence here, 'It has been proved that ...', a clefted version of say 'Research/ers have proved that ...', is obviously acceptable.
However, although the acceptability of
It has turned out that that one of the main reasons for the rapid propagation of false information is suspicious users.
would seem to validate the first sentence, it is at best awkward, difficult to parse, and in my opinion unidiomatic.
