Investigating The Long Term Effects Of Misinformation Disinformation

Corresponding Author: Milad Ahmadi Marzaleh, Email: miladahmadimarzaleh@yahoo.com Received 2025 Mar 25; Revised 2025 May 1; Accepted 2025 May 20; Issue date 2025 Aug. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. “Misinformation” is the dissemination of false information without the intention to mislead. Those who share this false information may believe that the information is true, useful, or interesting, and have no malicious intent toward the people they share it with.1 Health “misinformation” can be divided into three different types based on its accuracy, each of which poses risks to individuals and society.

The first type of misinformation involves the dissemination of completely incorrect health information that can lead to harmful health decisions. The second type of misinformation refers to the spread of health pseudoscience, where some elements of truth are presented in a misleading way, leading to incorrect conclusions. Finally, the third type of misinformation involves conditional advice of uncertain validity that, despite good intentions, can lead to negative health outcomes if used incorrectly. All three types can significantly harm public health and create confusion in health decision-making.2 For example, skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine is prevalent in many communities, especially among groups with specific socioeconomic and racial... Given the rapid development of this vaccine, many people have become skeptical about its effectiveness and safety. Stroud’s study showed that people who are able to identify inaccurate health articles are less likely to spread misinformation, have less skepticism about vaccines, and are more likely to get vaccinated.3

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – original draft Affiliation Department of Education, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Roles Data curation, Formal analysis, Visualization, Writing – original draft Affiliation Department of Education, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden This study examines the long-term effects of educational interventions aimed at improving upper-secondary students’ ability to identify and evaluate (mis)information. Using an experimental design with 459 students in authentic classroom settings, we tested three types of interventions: prebunking through the Bad News game, fact-checking skills via the News Evaluator workshop, and subject-specific disciplinary literacy...

Additionally, we investigated factors influencing students’ abilities to identify credible and misleading news, including credibility importance, democratic ideals, actively open-minded thinking (AOT), self-rated fact-checking skills, and educational orientation. The Internet’s Double-Edged Sword: Navigating the Labyrinth of Misinformation The internet, a transformative force in human communication, has democratized information access like never before. It connects billions across continents, offering unprecedented opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration. However, this very interconnectedness has also created a fertile ground for the proliferation of misinformation, posing a significant threat to individual well-being and societal stability. This pervasive issue demands urgent attention and multifaceted solutions to safeguard the integrity of information in the digital age.

The ease with which information can be created and disseminated online has blurred the lines between truth and falsehood. Misinformation, defined as false or inaccurate information spread regardless of intent to deceive, thrives in this environment. While outright disinformation, or intentionally misleading information, poses its own set of challenges, even unintentional spread of false narratives can have devastating consequences. The sheer volume of information online, coupled with the speed at which it travels, makes it challenging for individuals to discern credible sources from fabricated ones. This “infodemic,” as some have termed it, erodes trust in institutions, fuels social divisions, and can even incite violence. Social media platforms, designed to connect and engage users, have inadvertently become major conduits for misinformation.

The algorithms that power these platforms often prioritize engagement over accuracy, inadvertently amplifying sensational or provocative content, regardless of its veracity. This creates echo chambers where users are primarily exposed to information that confirms their existing biases, further entrenching them in potentially false narratives. Moreover, the anonymity afforded by online platforms emboldens some to spread misinformation without fear of accountability, exacerbating the problem. The consequences of misinformation are far-reaching and can manifest in tangible harm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, misinformation about the virus and its treatments led to dangerous practices, including the ingestion of bleach or other toxic substances. Similarly, false narratives about vaccines have contributed to vaccine hesitancy, hindering public health efforts.

Beyond health, misinformation can also impact political discourse, influencing elections and eroding trust in democratic processes. It can damage reputations, incite violence, and undermine social cohesion.

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