What It Is
Labels like "Get the latest", "Stay informed", or "Misleading" and such, attached to posts that are not technically false but are easily and commonly misinterpreted.
For example, moderators of a Facebook group could label misleading posts and add links to reliable and recent information about topics, or point out logical fallacies in a specific post.
Civic Signal Being Amplified
When To Use It
Proactive interventions are designed to shape the overall user experience and environment. They aim to prevent antisocial behavior in the first place, and to foster a positive community.
Interactive interventions engage users in a dialogue or activity to promote prosocial behavior. They encourage reflection, empathy, or positive interactions.
Reactive interventions are triggered by specific user actions or content. They attempt to mitigate potential negative consequences.
For all social media realms that rely on accurate information. This would come up when people are viewing content after it has been posted or shared.
What Is Its Intended Impact
Cuts down on the spread of misinformation in the form of misinterpreted or intentionally distorted facts.
Evidence That It Works
Evidence That It Works
Yaqub et al. (2020) found that labeling online content as disputed reduced the likelihood of readers to share the labeled content.
Why It Matters
Special Considerations
- Labeling some misinformation can lead to the "Implied Truth Effect": misleading information that is not labeled is seen as more likely to be true because it has not been labeled (Pennycook et al., 2020)
- There is some evidence that labeling misinformation is marginally less effective than debunking it after the fact (Brashier et al., 2021)
Examples
Citations
Real Solutions for Fake News? Measuring the Effectiveness of General Warnings and Fact‑Check Tags in Reducing Belief in False Stories on Social Media
Timing matters when correcting fake news
Effects of Credibility Indicators on Social Media News Sharing Intent
The Implied Truth Effect: Attaching Warnings to a Subset of Fake News Headlines Increases Perceived Accuracy of Headlines Without Warnings
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