The Go Viral! Game Makes a Person Better at Spotting Misinformation

“Prebunking” strengthens a person’s awareness of the manipulative tactics that characterize misinformation.
An online game called “Go Viral!” teaches players how misinformation works, as they try to win by making fake news go viral.
Researchers find that prebunking games and infographics can help people spot manipulative, untrustworthy information.

“While fact-checking is vital work, it can come too late,” says Professor Sander van der Linden, Director of the Social Decision-Making Lab at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. “Trying to debunk misinformation after it spreads is often a difficult if not impossible task.”