Nudging Social Media toward Accuracy

Abstract

A meaningful portion of online misinformation sharing is likely attributable to Internet users failing to consider accuracy when deciding what to share. As a result, simply redirecting attention to the concept of accuracy can increase sharing discernment. Here we discuss the importance of accuracy and describe a limited-attention utility model that is based on a theory about inattention to accuracy on social media. We review research that shows how a simple nudge or prompt that shifts attention to accuracy increases the quality of news that people share (typically by decreasing the sharing of false content), and then discuss outstanding questions relating to accuracy nudges, including the need for more work relating to persistence and habituation as well as the dearth of cross-cultural research on these topics. We also make several recommendations for policy-makers and social media companies for how to implement accuracy nudges.

The effectiveness of a scientific reasoning intervention for conspiracy theory beliefs

“…This approach has also been effective when applied to more topical CT beliefs than those presented within Orosz et al (2016). These results also support the conclusions drawn from the seminal work of Pennycook and Rand (2022) on the ‘accuracy nudge’ approach to misinformation, in that our findings suggest that the issues common to the emerging issues of online information associated with CT beliefs, may be amenable if an individual is made aware of the necessity to assess such information more diligently. Further, consistent with more recent papers (i.e., Čavojová, Šrol, & Jurkovič, 2020: Georgiou et al, 2021c; van Mulukom et al, 2022), our results as well as inspection of CT culture show that analytical thinking per se (which often involves an application of logic to interpret information) can paradoxically lead to the maintenance of CT beliefs.…”

“…This approach has also been effective when applied to more topical CT beliefs than those presented within Orosz et al (2016). These results also support the conclusions drawn from the seminal work of Pennycook and Rand (2022) on the 'accuracy nudge' approach to misinformation, in that our findings suggest that the issues common to the emerging issues of online information associated with CT beliefs, may be amenable if an individual is made aware of the necessity to assess such information more diligently.…”

“…Using a repeated‐measures design, the authors provided participants with a ‘rational’ argument against the premises of CT beliefs (e.g., pointing out flaws in logic and encouraging a similar process to the participant). Other studies with a particular focus on online misinformation have employed similar methods referred to as the ‘accuracy‐nudge’ approach (Ecker et al, 2022; Pennycook & Rand, 2021; 2022; Roozenbeek et al, 2020).…”

Examining accuracy-prompt efficacy in combination with using colored borders to differentiate news and social content online

“…A promising pre-emptive approach for increasing the quality of shared news content is providing users with prompts that shift attention to the level of accuracy of the content (Pennycook & Rand., 2022a, Pennycook & Rand, 2022b. Recent research suggests that individuals may sometimes share misinformation not purposefully, but simply because they fail to consider the accuracy of the content before sharing (e.g., Pennycook et al 2020;Pennycook et al, 2021b).…”

Examining accuracy-prompt efficacy in combination with using colored borders to differentiate news and social content online

“…A promising pre-emptive approach for increasing the quality of shared news content is providing users with prompts that shift attention to the concept of accuracy (Pennycook & Rand., 2022a, Pennycook & Rand, 2022b. Recent research suggests that individuals may sometimes share misinformation not purposefully, but simply because they fail to consider the accuracy of the content before sharing (eg., Pennycook et al 2020).…”