Entanglements, by Undark
Is the Misinformation Crisis Overblown?
Dec 9, 2024
Sander Vanderlinden, a social psychology professor at the University of Cambridge, and Hugo Mercier, a cognitive scientist from the Institut Jean Nicod, dive deep into the misinformation crisis. They challenge the narrative of widespread vulnerability to misinformation, suggesting that humans may be more resilient than assumed. The duo also explores how misinformation interacts with personal beliefs and the complexities of vaccine hesitancy, emphasizing trust issues that complicate public health decisions. Their enlightening conversation reveals that the crisis might be more nuanced than it seems.
31:21
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast highlights that broadly defined misleading information could constitute up to 30% of online content, complicating the understanding of misinformation prevalence.
- A significant debate emerges around the impact of misinformation on beliefs, with some experts arguing it primarily reinforces existing biases rather than persuading individuals.
Deep dives
Understanding Misinformation and Its Scope
Misinformation is defined as false or misleading information, while disinformation is misinformation that is intended to deceive. The podcast discusses how various perceptions of misinformation impact views on its prevalence. For example, if misinformation is narrowly defined to include only fringe conspiracy theories, it may seem less prevalent since many people do not subscribe to such ideas. However, when including misleading information that might have a basis in truth but is utilized manipulatively, the scale of the problem becomes significantly larger, affecting a higher percentage of content consumed by individuals.
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