The right choice in the social network prevents a person from lying

The constant flow of news people encounter online every day requires users to be cautious and make conscious choices. A recent study published in Nature Human Behaviour emphasized exactly this point. Experts examined how subscribing to different pages on social media affects a person’s ability to distinguish true from false news, hi-tech.mail.ru reported.

The study was conducted in France and Germany and involved about 3,400 participants. They were randomly divided into two groups. The first group was instructed to follow reliable, officially recognized news sources such as France Info and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which are known for their journalism.

The second group, on the other hand, was subscribed to entertaining and time-passing pages—such as cooking tips, movie news, and similar content. The experiment lasted two weeks. Before and after it, participants were asked questions about current events and shown various news items, asking them to identify which ones were real or fake.

As expected, those who followed credible information sources developed better understanding of events and became more accurate in evaluating the news. Most importantly, they were less likely to believe in flashy but meaningless headlines.

Their trust in mass media also strengthened. Surprisingly, the majority said they intended to continue reading the news even after the experiment ended. However, this did not influence their political views or engagement.

Scientists support these conclusions with several points. First, individuals themselves decide how to manage the flow of information. Second, the average person spends about 2 hours and 21 minutes daily on social media — which accounts for around 14% of their day and is a major part of their cognitive activity.

Such evidence-based studies are an important lesson for society. Internet users must determine for themselves who to trust and what to focus on. Correctly processing information and avoiding fakes are essential skills in modern life.

Conclusion: Social media is not dangerous as an information source — if used consciously and wisely. The quality of your life often depends on what you read and which sources you trust. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!