Google and a team of university researchers have hit on what they say could be an effective way to make people more impervious to the harmful impact of online misinformation. In experiments, the researchers showed people videos that explain how things like emotionally charged language or false comparisons can help persuade people to believe false claims. The people who saw the videos were later tested and found to be better able to distinguish false claims from accurate information. It’s an approach called pre-bunking, and university researchers and Google say it holds promise as a relatively easy and effective way to bolster critical thinking and make people more able to resist misinformation.
‘Pre-bunking’ shows promise in fight against misinformation
