People Who Doomscroll Tend To Believe More In Fake News

If you often find yourself scrolling endlessly, you may be more prone to falling for misinformation.

People who compulsively use social media are significantly more likely to trust, engage with, and spread fake news, according to new research.

The research involved 189 young adults who were shown a mix of real and fake news stories formatted as social media posts. Participants rated how credible they found each story and indicated how likely they were to engage with the post by clicking, liking, commenting, or sharing.

The research presented 189 young adults with both real news and fake news stories, formatted as social media posts. Participants rated the credibility of each story alongside their willingness to interact with the post by clicking, liking, commenting, or sharing.

Findings revealed that individuals who displayed problematic social media use—defined as excessive and compulsive behaviors that disrupt daily life—showed increased susceptibility to believing fake news.

These participants also showed to be more inclined to interact with the fake news content. In general, people with heavy social media habits were more active in interacting with all types of news content, regardless of its accuracy.

Problematic social media use, refers to addiction-like behaviors tied to social media. People affected tend to feel anxious or restless when unable to access their accounts. Moreover they show a tendency to continue using social media excessively despite harmful effects on their well-being.

The researchers argue that these findings are particularly concerning in an era when fake news spreads rapidly online, influencing everything from public health to democratic processes.

The study recommends developing better digital literacy programs to help users recognize false information. It also suggests that social media companies should consider identifying vulnerable users and limiting their exposure to misinformation.

Additionally, mental health professionals are encouraged to address social media addiction in their treatment plans.

The research advocates for improved digital literacy training to help users detect false information. The researchers suggest that social media companies should implement identification systems to detect vulnerable users, and then restrict their access to misinformation.

However, such a move appears unlikely, given that social media platforms thrive economically on maximizing user interaction, and fake news often drives the highest engagement.

Additionally, the researchers advise that mental health professionals should make social media addiction a priority in their treatment strategies.

While the study focused on college students and cannot be generalized to all age groups, it underlines a strong link between compulsive social media behavior and belief in fake news. It does not, however, confirm a causal relationship.

Experts recommend both taking regular breaks from social media, and checking sources before sharing them. People who spend hours mindlessly scrolling through social media while reacting to dramatic headlines tend to become more vulnerable to accepting false information.