A path forward on online misinformation mitigation based on current user behavior

Social media misinformation has become a serious societal problem, and recent research has focused on developing effective ways to counter its harmful impacts. This work investigates user-level countermeasures, or how individuals who see the misinformation respond to it directly, possibly to help stop its spread in their online communities. Using a registered report design, we conducted an online survey of 1010 American social media users who use social media at least once weekly. Participants were asked how they respond and think others should respond to misinformation they unintentionally post or see posted by others, and how their responses differ depending on their relationship with the person who posted that misinformation. Overall, the results revealed a difference between respondents’ beliefs and actions: participants reported expecting others to exert more effort when responding to misinformation than the level of effort they themselves reported. Additionally, on average, participants were more likely to say they intervened when misinformation was posted by someone close to them rather than by an acquaintance or a stranger. Understanding current behavioral patterns and public opinion can inform efforts to elicit public participation in countering misinformation and increase the effectiveness of platform-level countermeasures.