The battle against misinformation has been ongoing for quite some time now. For all of its benefits, the internet has also made it considerably easier for misinformation to spread around the world. Social media platforms are also a major culprit in this trend, and many platforms have tried to combat accounts that spread information through some form of censorship. They act by either banning the accounts or removing the information in question.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that new research has arisen which revealed that this might not be the best approach. According to a study conducted by experts working out of Michigan State University, a far better way to combat misinformation would be to inculcate critical thinking skills over a period of years.
As AI continues to progress and become ever more advanced, it will be imperative to figure out ways to keep misinformation at bay. Censorship does not have the desired effect because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up lending credence to the notion that the truth is being stifled. Critical thinking skills, on the other hand, make it so that the person in question can draw their own conclusions based on whatever seems most likely.
Teaching critical thinking skills also proved to be more effective than counter campaigns, which involves the spreading of information that can counter misinformation with all things having been considered and taken into account. With 10% of the population currently believing in some form of misinformation or another, policy makers can’t waste any time.
It is absolutely imperative that these skills be taught at a very young age since this will make critical thinking more ingrained than might have been the case otherwise. Eventually, people will be able to draw their own conclusions without anyone being able to claim that their voices were stifled. This might also align with the freedom of speech push coming from individuals like Elon Musk among others in the tech industry.
Read next: Generative AI is Still Creating Fake News According to This Study
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that new research has arisen which revealed that this might not be the best approach. According to a study conducted by experts working out of Michigan State University, a far better way to combat misinformation would be to inculcate critical thinking skills over a period of years.
As AI continues to progress and become ever more advanced, it will be imperative to figure out ways to keep misinformation at bay. Censorship does not have the desired effect because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up lending credence to the notion that the truth is being stifled. Critical thinking skills, on the other hand, make it so that the person in question can draw their own conclusions based on whatever seems most likely.
Teaching critical thinking skills also proved to be more effective than counter campaigns, which involves the spreading of information that can counter misinformation with all things having been considered and taken into account. With 10% of the population currently believing in some form of misinformation or another, policy makers can’t waste any time.
It is absolutely imperative that these skills be taught at a very young age since this will make critical thinking more ingrained than might have been the case otherwise. Eventually, people will be able to draw their own conclusions without anyone being able to claim that their voices were stifled. This might also align with the freedom of speech push coming from individuals like Elon Musk among others in the tech industry.
Read next: Generative AI is Still Creating Fake News According to This Study
