Meta-analysis uncovers public's skill in detecting fake news, but skepticism towards true news persists

While the internet has made accessing information and updates on what is happening in the world extremely easy, it has also facilitated the proliferation of fake news. Over the past decades, fake news has thus become a heated topic of debate, with some social media platforms introducing measures aimed at curbing online misinformation.

Researchers at PSL University and University of Zurich recently set out to investigate people's ability to correctly identify both true and false news, by reviewing previous psychology and behavioral science studies. The findings of their meta-analysis, published in Nature Human Behavior, suggest that most people are good at identifying fake news, while a good portion of people tend to be skeptical of news that is true.