Foolproof

Starred review from February 20, 2023
Social psychologist Van der Linden debuts with a fascinating look at what makes people susceptible to conspiracy theories and other forms of misinformation and what to do about it. Analyzing Nazi propaganda campaigns, a debunked 1998 research paper linking the MMR vaccine to autism, Donald Trump’s “big lie” that the 2020 election was stolen from him, and mob lynchings in India sparked by false child trafficking rumors spread on WhatsApp, van der Linden delves into the psychological and behavioral factors that make misinformation spread so fast and stick around so long. In one experiment, the mere presence of misinformation in an article about climate change “completely cancelled out” the change of perception people would have otherwise had from learning that 97% of scientists agree global warming is human-caused. Emphasizing similarities between the spread of misinformation and the spread of a physical virus, van der Linden calls for people to be forewarned of impending misinformation and given the arguments and cognitive tools they need to resist it; an online game developed by van der Linden and a team of researchers accomplishes just this sort of “inoculation.” Thoroughly researched and lucidly written, this is a standout guide to one of the world’s most pressing social issues.

Starred review from January 1, 2023
A sharp addition to the why-people-believe-weird-things genre. An optimist and fine writer, van der Linden, professor of social psychology at the University of Cambridge and an expert on human belief systems, explains why humans accept something as true or false and how they can fend off misinformation. Leaning heavily on the metaphor of misinformation as a virus infecting the mind and spreading from one person to another, the author proclaims the need for an effective remedy, perhaps a psychological "vaccine" against fake news. He begins by explaining why we are susceptible, discusses how falsehoods persist, and then explains how to inoculate ourselves and others. Innumerable studies prove that debunking--i.e., pointing out the facts--almost never works. We must "prebunk" to fend off misinformation before it takes hold. Readers may squirm as the author shows how and why we accept nonsense. Humans embrace the familiar, so the easiest way to spread a lie is to keep repeating it. Despite the fact that there has been zero evidence to support their claims, roughly 75% of Trump voters "continue to believe that the 2020 elected was rigged." If the moon landing was faked, 400,000 NASA employees would have had to be "complicit in the conspiracy." True to his assertion that facts are feeble, van der Linden devotes the final chapters of this well-researched, psychologically astute book to the specific strategies of fakers ("Six Degrees of Manipulation") and a powerful argument for the effectiveness of delivering a small dose of misinformation in order to inoculate against a major infection. Studies show that it works, and readers--or at least the 67% who are not suspicious of vaccines--can boost their immunity by playing a popular computer game that tests their ability to spread fake news. Google "bad news." The author may be preaching to the choir, but it's a message that bears repeating and continued deep consideration. Insightful, convincing, instructive reading.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.