BEWARE FAKE NEWS

A new study from the University of Kansas has examined what influences people to be susceptible to false information online about health. They found the credentials of the author and how the information is written make little difference in how people assess health news. Those highly interested in health information are more likely to share news they find, whether credible or not. However, those who saw the article presented with any sort of flagging stating it was not verified information were significantly less likely to find it credible. Additionally, respondents who showed higher levels of social media efficacy, or were more savvy in using technology, evaluated information more carefully and reported they would be less likely to share the article.