Failing to crush fake Covid news

EXPLAINING why the false claims being made about Covid are wrong may not help change people’s minds, research suggests.

Scientists at Dartmouth College in the US looked into fact-checking services set up by media organisations that were dedicated to countering misinformation and conspiracy theories being spread during the pandemic. They found that while these services can temporarily reduce misconceptions, they do not permanently change people’s opinions.

Researchers asked respondents from the UK and US about four claims being made about the pandemic – including one that a group funded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates patented the virus – and it was then explained why they were incorrect. They found those who had believed the claims, and then changed their minds, switched back to their previous view within months.