Who’s most likely to fall for fake news? A new study has the answer

Fake news is everywhere, and in a world flooded with information, sorting fact from fiction has never been more difficult – or more important.

A new study based on over 66,000 participants across 96 countries sheds light on who struggles most to spot fake news and who might not be as good at identifying misinformation as they think they are.

The research, conducted by scientists from the University of British Columbia and the University of Cambridge, used a tool called the Misinformation Susceptibility Test (MIST).

The tool allows scientists to uncover both how well different groups can identify fake news and how accurately they judge their own abilities.

Gen Z and fake news challenges

It’s a common assumption that younger generations – especially Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012 – are better equipped to navigate digital content. But the study suggests otherwise.

Participants in this age group performed worse than average in detecting fake headlines. However, they were honest with themselves about it.

“There’s still this widespread misconception that digital natives are better at navigating these environments,” said Dr. Friedrich Götz, senior author of the study. “That has been debunked in the academic world for quite a few years, but I don’t think it has translated into public consciousness.”

Education helps to an extent

People with university degrees or higher education were more likely to correctly identify fake news. Still, this group often overestimated their own skill. In contrast, those with only a high school diploma were more modest – but also less accurate.

“No matter who you are, no matter what you think you know, none of us is immune to misinformation,” said Dr. Götz. “People should realize that all of us are exposed to misinformation on a regular basis, and all of us are likely to fall for it at some point.”

Politics and gender differences

One of the clearest trends in the findings was the link between political leaning and susceptibility to misinformation. People with more conservative political views were more likely to believe fake headlines.

The lowest scores came from individuals at the far-right end of the political spectrum. Most conservatives, however, were fairly accurate in judging their own ability to detect misinformation – though this self-awareness dropped off among those with the most extreme views.

The data also showed that women were slightly more likely than men to fall for misinformation. At the same time, women were better than men at assessing their own ability to spot fake news. Men, by comparison, were more likely to show overconfidence in their skills.

Measuring misunderstanding

Participants in the study were presented with a mix of real and fake news headlines and asked to determine which were accurate.

Some of the false headlines included conspiracy theories such as “A Small Group of People Control the World Economy by Manipulating the Price of Gold and Oil” and “The Government Is Conducting a Massive Cover-Up of Their Involvement in 9/11.” Another fake headline claimed “Left-Wingers Are More Likely to Lie to Get a Good Grade.”

In contrast, real headlines such as “About a Quarter of Large US Newspapers Laid off Staff in 2018” were also included in the test.

By comparing how participants scored with how confident they felt about their answers, the researchers were able to identify gaps between perceived and actual skill.

Fighting fake news requires political will

The research suggests a need for better education and public awareness campaigns focused on identifying fake news. But implementing these solutions requires a political will that may not always be present.

“My sense is that not all democracies right now are really trying to address this problem,” said Dr. Götz. “Worse yet, in the polarized world we live in, some actors, including politicians, may deliberately weaponize it.”

“But if a government acts in good faith and wants to solve this problem in society, then I think they could use this study to raise awareness and move to more intervention-based research.”

Fake news affects everyone

Fake news is not just a digital nuisance – it’s a risk to democracy and informed decision-making. This global study reminds us that misinformation affects everyone, regardless of age, gender, education, or beliefs.

And perhaps the most important takeaway? The first step to avoiding misinformation is accepting that you, too, might be fooled.

The full study was published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

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