The Phase Model of Misinformation Interventions

Abstract: Misinformation is a challenging problem. This paper provides the first systematic interdisciplinary investigation of technical and non-technical interventions against misinformation. It combines interviews and a survey to understand which interventions are accepted across academic disciplines and approved by misinformation experts. Four interventions are supported by more than two in three misinformation experts: promoting media literacy, education in schools and universities, finding information about claims, and finding sources for claims. The most controversial intervention is deleting misinformation. We discuss the potentials and risks of all interventions. Education-based interventions are perceived as the most helpful by misinformation experts. Interventions focused on providing evidence are also widely perceived as helpful. We discuss them as scalable and always available interventions that empower users to independently identify misinformation. We also introduce the Phase Model of Misinformation Interventions that helps practitioners make informed decisions about which interventions to focus on and how to best combine interventions.