Foolproof

Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity

By: Sander van der Linden

Narrated by: Sander van der Linden

From fake news to conspiracy theories, from inflammatory memes to misleading headlines, misinformation has swiftly become the defining problem of our era. The crisis threatens the integrity of our democracies, our ability to cultivate trusting relationships, even our physical and psychological well-being—yet most attempts to combat it have proven insufficient.

With remarkable clarity, Sander van der Linden explains why our brains are so vulnerable to misinformation. Like a virus, misinformation infects our minds, exploiting shortcuts in how we see and process information to alter our beliefs, modify our memories, and replicate at astonishing rates. Once the virus takes hold, it's very hard to cure.

But we aren't helpless. As van der Linden shows based on award-winning original research, we can cultivate immunity through the innovative science of "prebunking": inoculating people against false information by preemptively exposing them to a weakened dose, thus empowering them to identify and fend off its manipulative tactics. Deconstructing the characteristic techniques of conspiracies and misinformation, van der Linden gives listeners practical tools to defend themselves and others against nefarious persuasion—whether at scale or around their own dinner table.

©2023 Sander van der Linden (P)2023 Kalorama

A great summary of the psychology of fake news

Overall, I found this to be an intriguing overview of research into the psychology of misinformation. There is a lot of information here and sometimes it feels like the information comes too fast (in audiobook form). Nevertheless, I found the book insightful and even somewhat hopeful. The idea that we can weaken the effects of fake news by "inoculating" people with a weakened version of such news is certainly important. It does give me some optimism that there is a way forward that reduces the polarization that results from this misinformation.

his efforts to fight stupidity

He underestimate the power of human stupidity as we saw today after the election

Yet another book that should have just been an article.

I stopped listening when the author misidentified 'propaganda' as state sponsored disinformation. This is not just a little incorrect, it's miles from reality. Propaganda doesn't need to be state sponsored, nor does it need to be false. I find it very difficult to trust a book that gets basic things wrong.

I'm sure the information in this book can be useful to some people, but actually listening to the book seems like a complete waste of time. You could just find an infographic with the 6 techniques of fake news and move on with your life.

As a side note, the narrator is quite difficult to listen to.

Useful, but problematic

I think there is useful information here, especially for those who haven’t read similar works. 2 concerns though. 1 - it consistently puts the reader in the position of someone whose beliefs are accurate, who is concerned about the false beliefs of others. That’s the position we all think we’re in already. I would have appreciated more on how to recognize where our own mistakes might lie, and how to generate the motivational state needed to search for them when you believe yourself to be reasonable already. 2- in the second half, the argument is very reliant on the “fake news is a virus: here’s how to inoculate yourself “ metaphor. That worried me, since however powerful it is, it’s just a metaphor, and likely breaks down at some point. I wish there was some attention given to where that might be.
I also wish that the author hadn’t chosen to narrate his own book. I can imagine listening to him in a classroom setting just fine, but found him tough to listen to in headphones for an hour or two at a time.

Good read, primer for real validation

I liked it, gave some good examples, and how easy we can be manipulated by our emotions n echo chambers.