Only 2-3 Percent of Australians Can Spot Misinformation: Peak Media Body

A new survey has shown that only two in 100 Australians can proficiently identify misinformation. During a recent inquiry into the impending Misinformation Bill before the Australian Parliament, representatives from the Australian Media Literacy Alliance (AMLA)—a peak industry body—highlighted that most Australians could not recognise misinformation. The AMLA, in partnership with researchers at Western Sydney University and the University of Canberra, conducted a “scientifically representative survey” of 3,500 Australians about their views on misinformation. A follow-up survey with 2,000 participants tested their ability to identify misinformation and their fact-checking approach. “We found in that survey that the vast majority of Australians cannot identify misinformation,” said Michael Dezuanni, an AMLA member and a professor at Queensland University of Technology....