A groundbreaking investigation conducted by researchers at Michigan State University has illuminated a troubling link between problematic social media usage and increased susceptibility to fake news. This innovative study reveals that individuals who experience significant distress and disruption in their everyday lives due to their social media habits are more prone to accepting misinformation as truth and engaging with deceptive content online. By delving into the nuanced mechanisms behind social media interaction, the research provides critical insights relevant for public health, communication strategies, and digital platform governance.
In their experimental approach, the MSU team, led by associate professor Dar Meshi along with co-author Maria D. Molina, recruited a cohort of young adults aged 18 to 26. Participants were exposed to an assortment of twenty news articles, evenly divided between authentic reports and fabricated stories formatted as social media posts. Importantly, these posts were presented in randomized sequences to mitigate bias, allowing the researchers to rigorously assess how problematic social media use influences credibility perceptions and behavioral intentions with respect to news content.
The study’s focal metric was the degree of “problematic social media use,” a behavioral pattern marked not only by excessive time spent on social platforms but also by emotional and functional impairments stemming from such usage. While this construct is not formally recognized as a clinical disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, the parallels drawn between this behavior and addictive disorders underscore its significance. Individuals high in problematic use often experience withdrawal-like symptoms, distress when unable to access social media, and compulsive return to these platforms despite adverse consequences.
Results from the experiment were revelatory. Participants demonstrating greater levels of problematic social media use showed a pronounced tendency to accept false news stories as credible. Moreover, they were equally likely to engage with news posts irrespective of their authenticity—expressing intentions to click, share, or like both factual and fake stories. This indiscriminate interaction pattern signifies a broader vulnerability to misinformation that can exacerbate its circulation on digital networks.
The definitions of misinformation and disinformation are crucial to contextualizing these findings. Misinformation refers to false content disseminated without harmful intent, often arising from errors or misunderstandings. Disinformation, conversely, entails deliberate creation and sharing of falsehoods with the goal of deception. The study highlights that the mechanisms driving problematic social media use may amplify exposure and responsiveness to both types, thereby fueling the rapid spread of misleading narratives on platforms that integrate news and social interaction.
As more than 60% of the American population consumes news via social media, the stakes are high. Prior research has documented that false news stories tend to propagate faster and further than verified information on social platforms. This study breaks new ground by linking users’ behavioral patterns of excessive social media use to their cognitive and affective responses toward fake news, bridging the gap between psychological predispositions and public information ecosystems.
The methodology employed to gauge participant intentions—such as clicking, liking, commenting, and sharing—provides a dynamic measure of fake news engagement beyond mere belief. These behavioral indicators are vital for understanding how misinformation gains traction, as actual interactions with content enhance visibility through algorithmic amplification. By capturing these subtleties, the study advances scientific comprehension of fake news dynamics in real-world social media environments.
Meshi and Molina argue that recognizing problematic social media use as a factor in misinformation susceptibility could have profound implications for clinical practice. Mental health professionals might need to consider patients’ social media behaviors when addressing challenges related to anxiety, depression, or cognitive distortions that coexist with digital media overuse. Awareness of this link could inform tailored interventions aimed at reducing both social media dependence and vulnerability to deceptive content.
In addressing broader societal responses, the researchers suggest that governmental bodies, health organizations, and social media companies could leverage these insights to develop targeted strategies combating misinformation. By identifying populations most at risk due to problematic social media use, interventions could be designed to limit exposure to fake news while promoting digital literacy and critical engagement practices among vulnerable users.
The research also invites partnerships between academia and tech platforms to craft sophisticated algorithms or user experience features that detect and mitigate problematic use patterns. Such collaborations could enable early warnings for users exhibiting signs of excessive dependence, while simultaneously curtailing their interaction with false content. This dual focus could break feedback loops that reinforce misinformation belief and dissemination.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, this study underscores the urgent necessity to consider psychological dimensions in the fight against fake news. Problematic social media use constitutes a behavioral gateway that intensifies susceptibility, calling for interdisciplinary responses that combine psychological research, public policy, and technological innovation to preserve the integrity of information flows and protect public welfare.
Michigan State University’s research marks a pivotal step in unpacking the complex interplay between human behavior and information disorders in the digital age. Through rigorous experimentation and multidisciplinary interpretation, the findings pave the way for more nuanced approaches to mitigating the misinformation crisis, highlighting the central role that individual user experiences play in shaping collective information environments.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Problematic social media use is associated with believing in and engaging with fake news
News Publication Date: 7-May-2025
Web References: DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321361
Keywords: Social media, Social research, Mass media, Social sciences, Communications
