Online News Is Often More Credible Than You Think
People overestimate the prevalence of false news in their social media timelines; most false news is spread by a small number of users, while the majority are cautious to protect their reputation. The authors encourage readers to share verified news and correct falsehoods rather than withdraw from sharing.
THE IDEA
GOING DEEPER
Online News Is Often More Credible Than You Think
Despite the attention given to fakery, in most cases the news people see on social media is pretty credible. People across all ages and demographics consistently overestimate the prevalence of false news in their timelines. Additionally, most people share very little false news: the spread of toxic information online is driven by a small number of people who share a lot, have followers who share a lot, and aren’t particularly careful with the truth.11 The majority of people recognize the fundamental asymmetry of reputation building. You can undo the reputation of sharing true things daily by sharing one false item.12 People want to preserve their reputation and act accordingly.
We assume that if you’re reading this book, you’re probably on the cautious side of the equation already. So, what should you, the cautious reader of this work, take away? There are numerous lessons, but we hope you will consider a surprising one: we want you to share more news, not less.13 What we find with most students is a growing reluctance to share any news, based on the fear that it may turn out to be false, and an unwillingness to challenge false stories they see, based on the fear they may be wrong about them. This in turn produces what Mike has called elsewhere a “Yeats effect,” based on a line from an old poem about the end of the world: “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”14
So, read about the tricks the devious use. When you see something compelling, run your quick checks. But if it looks good after walking through SIFT and is something people should know, share it! If you see falsehood, correct it! We want these skills to empower you, and we want to get voices like yours back to the social media table.
When to use it
A citizen journalist sees a viral post claiming a political candidate said something outrageous. They use SIFT to trace the claim to a parody account and avoid spreading misinformation.
A student working on a research paper finds a compelling statistic on social media. Instead of assuming it's accurate, they investigate the original source and discover it's from a study with methodological flaws.
A news consumer feels overwhelmed by fake news and considers quitting social media. After learning that most news is credible and that false news is concentrated among few users, they decide to stay and share verified stories.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Overestimating False News in Your Feed
Consider a hypothetical user who sees several sensational but fake headlines on Facebook and concludes that half of their news feed is false. Suppose only about 1% of the posts they see are false: the vivid examples have led them to overestimate the frequency. The percentage is illustrative, not a measurement reported in this excerpt.
Reluctance to Share Due to Fear of Being Wrong
A cautious reader finds an article about a new scientific breakthrough that aligns with research they trust. Despite being interested, they hesitate to share it on Twitter, fearing it might later be debunked and damage their reputation. After applying SIFT, they confirm the source is credible and share it confidently.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How often do you see false news on social media? Do you think your perception reflects reality or is it an overestimation?
When was the last time you hesitated to share a news article because you weren't sure it was true? What steps could you take to verify it?
If you notice a friend sharing false information, how could you correct them in a way that preserves your relationship and encourages more careful sharing?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Verified How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions about What to Believe Online (Mike Caulfield, Sam Wineburg)