A Reasoned Approach to Dealing With Fake News

Abstract

We now have almost no filters on information that we can access, and this requires a much more vigilant, knowledgeable reader. Learning false information from the web can have dire consequences for personal, social, and personal decision making. Given how our memory works and our biases in selecting and interpreting information, now more than ever we must control our own cognitive and affective processing. As examples: Simply repeating information can increase confidence in its perceived truth; initial incorrect information remains available and can continue to have an effect despite learning the corrected information; and we are more likely to accept information that is consistent with our beliefs. Information evaluation requires readers (a) to set and monitor their goals of accuracy, coherence, and completeness; (b) to employ strategies to achieve these goals; and (c) to value this time- and effort-consuming systematic evaluation. Several recommendations support a reasoned approach to fake news and manipulation.