‘Wrong:’ Why People Believe Misinformation

Professor Dannagal Young explains why people believe misinformation. Her new book is "Wrong: How Media, Politics and Identity Drive Our Appetite for Misinformation."

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There is a lot of misinformation on the internet but why do so many people believe it? Dannagal Goldthwaite Young examines the supply side of the misinformation problem in her new book, Wrong: How Media, Politics, and Identity Drive Our Appetite for Misinformation. She explains how our psychology — our need to exert control and to belong — sets the stage for political leaders and media organizations to exploit our differences and divide us, making us more willing to believe things we know are false.

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