Increasing Demand for Fact-Checking

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fact-checks successfully persuade people to reject misinformation, but people who are exposed to misinformation rarely read fact-checks. This makes increasing the demand for fact-checking a crucial, understudied aspect of the fight against misinformation. We test several ways of increasing demand for fact-checking. In our first two studies, we find little evidence that the partisan reputation of fact-checkers affects willingness to read fact-checks. Our third and fourth studies yield three successful classes of interventions: appeals to civic duty, social pressure, and micro-payments. Effects are robust among those who are least likely at baseline to choose to read fact-checks, and among those who are most likely at baseline to consume misinformation. Our results offer several practical lessons. Increasing demand for fact-checks is possible, including among the subgroups most in need of encouragement. Though fact-checkers are widely perceived as partisan, increasing demand may require looking beyond partisan reputations and identities.