Children weigh internet inaccuracy when trusting in online information

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Development
• Media Psychology
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Children increasingly access information online.
• Understanding children's epistemic trust in digital sources is crucial.
• Prior research highlights children's ability to evaluate human informants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if a history of inaccuracy affects children's epistemic trust in internet sources.
• To compare children's trust revision in online vs. human informants.
• To examine how information delivery method (direct vs. adult-relayed) impacts trust.

Main Methods:

• 84 Chinese children (4-8 years) participated.
• Children interacted with an internet source directly, via an adult, or in a baseline video condition.
• The internet source provided deliberately inaccurate information.

Main Results:

• Children significantly reduced epistemic trust after the internet source provided inaccurate statements.
• Trust reduction occurred regardless of direct or adult-relayed information access.
• The degree of trust reduction was comparable to a baseline condition involving a human informant.

Conclusions:

• Children aged 4-8 years evaluate internet sources based on their accuracy history.
• They revise their beliefs about online information, mirroring their evaluation of human informants.
• This demonstrates children's developing critical thinking skills regarding digital media.