Falsehoods Fly: Why Misinformation Spreads and How to Stop It

This ho-hum treatise by Thagard (Balance), a philosophy professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, explores the dangers posed by misinformation. Outlining his “AIMS theory of information and misinformation,” Thagard suggests the former can be distinguished from the latter by attending to differences in “acquisition, inference, memory, and spread.” For instance, he contends that information is acquired through systematic observation and careful experiments, whereas misinformation relies on cherry-picked anecdotes and lies from fake experts. Thagard applies his theory to recent flash points, illustrating motivated reasoning’s role in “inferring” misinformation by discussing how purveyors of sham Covid-19 treatments are financially incentivized to cast skepticism on the efficacy of vaccines. Strategies for disabusing people of false beliefs include “motivational interviewing,” which involves using open-ended questions to discover the personal reasons an individual might have for believing a mistruth. To prevent misinformation’s spread, Thagard offers sensible if familiar recommendations, arguing that social media companies should “use recommendation algorithms that prioritize accuracy” and be held “liable for harmful misinformation.” Unfortunately, the prose is somewhat dry and the case studies showing how the AIMS theory applies to falsehoods regarding climate change, QAnon, the Russia-Ukraine War, and wealth inequality can feel a bit repetitive. This doesn’t bring much new to a widely discussed topic. (Feb.)