Effects of corrections on COVID-19-related misinformation: cross-media empirical analyses in Japan

Abstract

This study compared the characteristics of individuals who change their perceptions when they receive corrective information about COVID-19-related misinformation from different types of media. Whether people would change their perceptions through mass media information and whether through social media information were set as dependent variables. Indicators of 'need for orientation' and different types of literacy were set as explanatory variables. The results of logit model analyses indicate that people who are more interested in COVID-19 are more likely to change their perceptions if they receive corrective information from mass media outlets. People with relatively low levels of information literacy tend to change their perceptions in response to corrective information from social media. This finding suggests that individuals who change their perceptions based on social-media-derived corrective information cannot necessarily discriminate the truth or falsity of the information provided.