Science & technology| Debunkology
Can people be persuaded not to believe disinformation?
AI chatbots and critical thinking courses might help
An illustration of a snake oil bottle with yellow tape crossing over it and a red light.
Illustration: George Wylesol
Anyone following American politics in recent months will have been treated to their fair share of bogus claims. USAID, the country’s main development agency, sent $50m worth of condoms to the Gaza Strip; that tens of millions of deceased centenarians are continuing to receive social-security payments; or that disaster-relief funding was spent on housing migrants in luxury hotels in New York City. That so many believe them nonetheless highlights how an age of social media and political polarisation has blurred the lines between truth and conspiracy theory. Debunkology, or how to unpick beliefs once they take root in people’s brains, is struggling to catch up.