Social media fatigue may make you believe, share misinformation – research

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Singapore, , A research has revealed that people who are tired or excited by social media are more likely to believe misinformation and share it online.

Using COVID-19 fake news as an example of misinformation, the study found that narcissistic individuals experiencing social media fatigue are more likely to share misinformation.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, is based on more than 8,000 survey responses from participants in Singapore, the United States, Malaysia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Millions of users rely on social media as a source of news and entertainment and a means of communication, so it is important to address social media fatigue and its consequences, said researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). NTU “Social media fatigue creates information overload that impairs social media users’ cognitive judgment,” said lead author Saifuddin Ahmed, assistant professor in the KV Kim Wei School of Communication and Information. In such circumstances, individuals become overwhelmed and struggle to critically evaluate the misinformation they encounter, whether related to COVID-19 or other topics.”This effect of social media fatigue Another explanation is how social media algorithms function by prioritizing controversial, sensational and emotionally charged content. Repeated exposure to such material may cause individuals to believe it to be accurate.
“We have shown that individuals can unwittingly contribute to the spread of misinformation because of their cognitive abilities and deeper personality traits such as narcissism,” Ahmed said.
“Such insights can be leveraged to shape preventive measures emphasizing the importance of social media literacy and initiatives to reduce social media fatigue.”
Additionally, the team found that across all eight countries, individuals who scored high on narcissism and low on cognitive ability were the most likely to share misinformation due to social media fatigue.
“These individuals with high levels of fatigue may share misinformation because they may be trying to gain attention and social influence without applying critical thinking,” Ahmed explained.
This tendency to share misinformation is particularly relevant to misinformation, which is often characterized by sensational and controversial content, which elicits strong emotional reactions from audiences.”
These findings suggest that policymakers and social media companies who aim to combat misinformation should take a multi-pronged approach that includes regulations to prevent the spread of misinformation and increase digital literacy, as well as social The objective of reducing media fatigue should also be included.

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