Social media make it easy to share posts. Like and share buttons let people spread content quickly, but this also helps fake news move fast. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen studied this problem.
The team built a computer model that simulates platforms such as X, Bluesky and Mastodon. They found that a small pause or delay before sharing can reduce the number of reshares. The researchers also tested adding a short learning step, for example a pop-up quiz about misinformation and platform rules. When pause and learning are combined, the model shows better results for quality and quantity of shared posts.
Difficult words
- misinformation — false or wrong information that deceives people
- simulate — to make a simple model of a real situationsimulates
- pause — a short stop or delay in an action
- reduce — to make something smaller in number or size
- reshare — to share something again on a social sitereshares
- model — a simple computer system for testing ideas
- platform — an online service for social posts and sharingplatforms
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would a short pause make you think before you share online? Why or why not?
- Do you think a pop-up quiz could help people learn about misinformation? Explain.
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