探討真實性提示對社群新聞標題之評估與分享之影響

Abstract

全球皆面臨錯誤資訊(misinformation)和造假資訊(disinformation)充斥網路的困境。學 者除了提出各種學說分析人們為何在網路上分享不正確資訊，也進行多項實驗試圖找出能 改善這種行為的方法。本論文以 371 名台灣網路使用者為實驗對象，並以台灣政治脈絡為 背景進行實驗，測試真實性提示(accuracy prompt)減少網路使用者們在社群媒體分享錯 誤中國相關新聞標題的效果。本實驗的真實性提示為要求受試者判斷所讀的中國相關新聞 標題是真是假，藉此將受試者的注意力拉回分享內容的真實性以此提升受試者分享內容的 品質。本研究發現真實性提示顯著降低實驗組受試者分享錯誤新聞標題的意圖，且即使控 制了受試者對中國的態度，真實性提示的效果依舊維持顯著。雖然效果較輕微，但本研究 觀察到真實性提示也會顯著降低實驗組受試者分享正確新聞標題的意圖。研究者同時觀察 到實驗組受試者並未出現明知故犯分享造假資訊的行為。本研究補充台灣改善網路使用者 分享內容品質所需的實驗，也提供政府及網路平台不傷害言論自由就能改善不正確資訊在 網路上氾濫的可能解方。

Disinformation is widely spread across mainstream media and social platforms worldwide. Scholars propose different accounts to explore the reason behind the behavior of sharing misinformation online and suggest various methods to mitigate such behavior. In this study, we test the accuracy prompt treatment with an online experiment in the context of Taiwan. The treatment utilizes participants’ own ability to discern information by simply asking them to rate the accuracy of headlines. We collected 371 valid respondents and found the treatment significantly improved participants’ sharing discernment, but there’s also a significant drop in the sharing of accurate headlines. The treatment effect was robust even when taking people’s attitude towards China into account. Our participants did not show the tendency of intentionally sharing disinformation. This study highlights the possibility to improve people’s sharing discernment without enforcing strict laws that could induce chilling effect and violate the freedom of speech.