How do we combat misinformation

According to a University of Canberra report, Almost half of Australians (49%) use social media to access news, marking a 4 percentage point increase since last year. Australians' distrust of conventional news sources is at its highest point since 2016.

We’re constantly bombarded with information by email, social media, streaming and podcast platforms and more, how can we know what's true?

To answer this question, we consulted John Cooke. John has a PhD in cognitive psychology and has devoted his life to understanding how we can be misled through the wrong information, our bias towards one source over another and our distrust in mainstream media.

Here’s some things to take away from our conversation with John:

Be open to being wrong

Throughout history, people have spread misinformation that has affected people’s beliefs about things. The ancient Romans thought that Christians drank real blood during the Lord’s supper, for example. If you hear about a large-scale conspiracy theory from a source, check whether its not just misinformation. Check different sources, not just your favourites. You can learn more about the “method” behind science and other sources so that you can tell when information is unreliable.

Be aware that opportunities for misinformation are growing

With the information explosion, technology, more and more channels for information and especially now that generative AI is entering the story, there are more opportunities for false information than ever before. Take time to unplug and slow down so that you can process information. Misinformation often comes with urgency and intense emotions that can make it hard to think clearly.

Be aware of your echo chamber

If you tend to only read news from certain sources, it will make you see things in a certain way. Confuse the algorithm by following lots of different people on social media and subscribing to different news sources. This will help you learn to be patient with people who have different views to you, but will also require you to think carefully. Learn to regulate your emotions as you absorb this information, rather than getting angry if someone expresses a view you think is false or uncharitable.

If you’re interested in learning more of the critical thinking skills that John teaches, you can enjoy a fun gamified version of it in his “Cranky Uncle Game” available for iPhone, Android or in your browser.

To hear more from John Cook about misinformation, listen to the Deeper Questions podcast episode, HERE.