How to teach the elderly to detect disinformationa training experiment with WhatsApp

  1. Charo Sádaba 1
  2. Ramón Salaverría 1
  3. Xavier Bringué-Sala 1
  1. 1 Universidad de Navarra
    info
    Universidad de Navarra

    Pamplona, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02rxc7m23

    Geographic location of the organization Universidad de Navarra
Journal:
Profesional de la información

ISSN: 1386-6710,  1699-2407

Year of publication: 2023

Issue Title: Disinformation and online media

Volume: 32

Issue: 5

Type: Article

DOI: 10.3145/EPI.2023.SEP.04 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

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Test de curso sobre Media Literacy para adultos (2021-2022)

Abstract

According to recent studies, most of the Spanish population identifies disinformation as a social problem and believes that it could endanger democracy and the stability of the country. In this context, many institutions point out the need for media literacy campaigns and initiatives that alleviate the possible harmful social effects of the phenomenon, especially among vulnerable audiences. While children and young people are the continuous target of this type of action, few so far have targeted the elderly. This article analyzes the effectiveness of a training action to increase the ability to detect false news in this age group. A 10-day course was designed, and a sample of 1,029 individuals over 50 years of age residing in Spain who are smartphone users was selected. Participants were divided into an experimental group (n=498), who were invited to take the course, and a control group (n=531). An ex ante and ex post study was carried out to determine the effects of the course on their ability to detect false news. The results reveal that those who took the course were more successful in identifying the news as true or false than the members of the control group. The results confirm the opportunity and convenience of designing media literacy actions aimed at those over 50 years of age, a social group particularly exposed to disinformation.

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