There’s only one real way to combat conspiracy theories, says major new review

Not even jet fuel can melt steel minds, it seems: while previous studies have suggested methods for reducing conspiracy beliefs, a new review shows that most of these are ineffective.

Behavioural researchers at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, reviewed 25 previously published studies that tested methods for reducing conspiracy beliefs in over 7,000 participants.

They found that only half of the methods produced any change in beliefs at all, with a small minority seeing significant behavioural change.

“One of the most important findings of our review is that traditional fact-checking…