Pilot Study Suggests Online Media Literacy Programming Reduces Belief in False News in Indonesia

TL;DR

This pilot study in Indonesia demonstrates that online media literacy programs can effectively improve individuals' ability to identify misinformation, highlighting a promising approach to combat digital falsehoods.

Contribution

It provides initial evidence that online social media literacy campaigns can reduce belief in false news in Indonesia, a novel application in this context.

Findings

Participants who engaged with training were better at identifying misinformation.

The study involved 1000 users, showing promising preliminary results.

Plans are underway to expand and refine the program.

Abstract

Amidst the threat of digital misinformation, we offer a pilot study regarding the efficacy of an online social media literacy campaign aimed at empowering individuals in Indonesia with skills to help them identify misinformation. We found that users who engaged with our online training materials and educational videos were more likely to identify misinformation than those in our control group (total $N$=1000). Given the promising results of our preliminary study, we plan to expand efforts in this area, and build upon lessons learned from this pilot study.