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Boosting Media Literacy Using Lateral Reading and Online Search Interventions
Lisa Oswald1,2, Anastasia Kozyreva1, Stefan M Herzog1
1Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin.
Psychological Science
|July 6, 2026
Summary
Media literacy interventions improved online information discernment, but effects faded over time. Strategies like lateral reading and online search showed no significant long-term benefits compared to control groups.
Area of Science:
- Digital Media Studies
- Information Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Navigating online information competently is crucial.
- Systemic content moderation and platform regulation require complementary approaches.
- Media literacy empowers individuals in the digital age.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of two media literacy interventions.
- To compare a source-focused lateral-reading strategy with a claim-focused search strategy.
- To assess improvements in discerning trustworthy online information.
Main Methods:
- A nationally representative randomized controlled study with 2,666 adults in Germany.
- Intervention group 1: Lateral reading (source evaluation).
- Intervention group 2: Online search (claim credibility assessment).
- Control group: No intervention.
Main Results:
- Both interventions showed small, often statistically indistinguishable, improvements in discernment.
- Discernment improved across all groups at 2-week follow-up, with no significant differences between intervention and control groups.
- No evidence of backfire effects was observed.
- Lateral reading reduced trust in untrustworthy sources; online search increased trust in trustworthy sources.
Conclusions:
- Media literacy interventions may offer short-term gains in online information discernment.
- Long-term effectiveness requires further investigation as initial benefits may not persist.
- Targeted strategies can influence trust in specific types of online sources.
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