We really can blame the age of misinformation on social media. Research has found that in the absence of direct evidence, people are more likely to believe a claim when they see that many others believe it too. The researchers posited that social media’s visible engagement metrics—like likes, reactions, and shares—make people think that a certain belief has a lot of support and is therefore true. As a solution, they think that false beliefs could be lessened if engagement metrics were hidden from most users. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
