Correcting misinformation about the Russia-Ukraine War reduces false beliefs but does not change views about the War

PLoS One. 2024 Sep 23;19(9):e0307090. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307090. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

We report results from simultaneous experiments conducted in late 2022 in Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. The experiments focus on fact-checking misinformation supportive of Russia in the Russia-Ukraine War. Meta-analysis makes clear that fact-checking misinformation reduces belief in pro-Kremlin false claims. Effects of fact-checks are not uniform across countries; our meta-analytic estimate is reliant on belief accuracy increases observed in Russia and Ukraine. While fact-checks improve belief accuracy, they do not change respondents' attitudes about which side to support in the War. War does not render individuals hopelessly vulnerable to misinformation-but fact-checking misinformation is unlikely to change their views toward the conflict.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

  • Armed Conflicts
  • Attitude
  • Communication*
  • Culture
  • Estonia
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kazakhstan
  • Male
  • Republic of Belarus
  • Russia
  • Ukraine

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation through a grant to the Institute for Data, Democracy & Politics at The George Washington University (Grant 42660-4-ECNS21765N). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.