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FiveThirtyEight is covering the efficacy of fact-checking and other methods to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Fact-checking, after the fact, is better than nothing, it turns out. There are some common factors in the times when it has been done successfully:
Political scientists Ethan Porter and Thomas J. Wood conducted an exhaustive battery of surveys on fact-checking, across more than 10,000 participants and 13 studies that covered a range of political, economic and scientific topics. They found that 60 percent of respondents gave accurate answers when presented with a correction, while just 32 percent of respondents who were not given a correction expressed accurate beliefs. That’s pretty solid proof that fact-checking can work.
But Porter and Wood have found, alongside many other fact-checking researchers, some methods of fact-checking are more effective than others. Broadly speaking, the most effective fact checks have this in common:
- They are from highly credible sources (with extra credit for those that are also surprising, like Republicans contradicting other Republicans or Democrats contradicting other Democrats).
- They offer a new frame for thinking about the issue (that is, they don’t simply dismiss a claim as “wrong” or “unsubstantiated”).
- They don’t directly challenge one’s worldview and identity.
- They happen early, before a false narrative gains traction.
It is as much about psychology as actually rebutting the disinformation because factors like partisanship and worldview have strong effects, and it is hard to reach people inside their social control media echo chambers from an accurate source they will accept.
[Though often incorrectly attributed to Mark Twain, one is reminded of the adage: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes”. --Ed.]
Previously:
(2020) Nearly Half of Twitter Accounts Pushing to Reopen America May be Bots
(2019) Russians Engaging in Ongoing 'Information Warfare,' FBI Director Says
(2019) How Fake News Spreads Like a Real Virus
(2019) More and More Countries are Mounting Disinformation Campaigns Online
(2019) At Defcon, Teaching Disinformation Campaigns Is Child's Play
(2018) Why You Stink at Fact-Checking
(2017) Americans Are “Under Siege” From Disinformation
(2015) Education Plus Ideology Exaggerates Rejection of Reality
(Score: 4, Informative) by Arik on Friday June 05 2020, @01:08AM (4 children)
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday June 05 2020, @01:36AM (1 child)
(Score: 2) by Arik on Friday June 05 2020, @01:59AM
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 05 2020, @02:48AM
You are totally correct, I skipped right over the primary qualifier. Upon further research it looks like Trump was predicted to to win just about every primary, many in the 90%+ range. The lowest I saw was in Iowa at 46%, but CA, NY, Utah, and a handful of others were all over 90%. A few others between 50-80%.
So while I messed up a portion of my response the conclusion still remains and actually calls more bullshit on the primary claim of 0%. Go me, down with Trumpers and their lying bullshit!
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday June 05 2020, @05:30PM
How dare he address the FIRST claim made in the argument!