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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: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 05 2020, @01:38AM (4 children)
That's rich.
The "mainstream" media like NBC, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post tell whopper lies all the time. They also don't bother fact checking simple things before running a story. The only criteria seem to be: "Will this hurt Trump?" They just make stuff up or engage in very "selective" reporting that bolsters their agenda. The writer wants to slam Trump on some topic and inserts a quote by some random nobody who agrees with his opinion. That's not bolstering your point with a fact. Anybody can do that lazy stunt.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 05 2020, @02:02AM (2 children)
Yes, other news sources that write more for a grown-up audience are necessary to understand just how bad Trump really is.
Entertainment and lobby background noise news sources don't offer a very good window into current events.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 05 2020, @04:16AM (1 child)
Reputable news sources largely doesn't exist in the USA. Tabloids and comedy shows are the closest they seem to get.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 05 2020, @10:28AM
Hurray for the internet!
(Score: 2) by Pav on Friday June 05 2020, @02:14AM
Joe Rogans guests, political commentators Krystal and Sagaar (both previously MSNBC and Whitehouse Press Corp insiders) were just recently saying exactly that. They cross the left/right divide too.