Google Study Finds That 'Pre-Bunking' Misinformation Can Make It Powerless

Once misinformation starts to spread, it can be difficult to control. Researchers at Google, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Bristol recently tested a new way to tackle misinformation before it even spreads.

Researchers call this process "pre-bunking." They found that psychologically "inoculating" internet users against fake news and misleading content like conspiracy theories might work. Think of a vaccine for misinformation - that's how it works.

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How pre-bunking misinformation helps

These researchers believe that showing users how misinformation is manufactured and spread might help control its spread. In fact, researchers found that educating people about misinformation in advance made them more sceptical of such content.

Also read: Twitter's New Misinformation Policy Will Rein In Viral Tweets That Mislead Users

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Even then, researchers found that educational tools may not be enough for people who have extremely strong political beliefs. At least 30,000 people participated in the study. For the study's purpose, researchers bought ad space on YouTube in the United States. Users were then shown 90-second animated videos about how propaganda is spread. About a million adults watched one of the ads for 30 seconds or longer.

Also read: People Believing COVID-19 Misinformation More Likely To Contract The Virus, Says Study

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Those watching were taught about misinformation tactics like scapegoating and deliberate incoherence in order to help them spot lies. Within 24 hours of watching such videos, researchers tested a few participants and found a 5% increase in their ability to spot misinformation techniques.

A paper outlining the findings was published in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday.

What do you think about misinformation techniques? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Hsu, T., & Grant, N. (2022, August 25). Google finds ¡®inoculating¡¯ people against misinformation helps blunt its power. The Seattle Times.