Study shows how savvy Singapore readers fact-check fake news articles

Individuals who were found to be more immune to fake news were less likely to rely on their instincts to determine whether the article was trustworthy. — The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE: When asked to read an online article containing misinformation about the deadly effects of 5G technology on birds, the most discerning Singapore readers spent more time cross-checking with other sources than those who were less information savvy, a recent study has found.

The debunked 2018 article on website Health Nut News claimed that some 300 birds at a park in the Netherlands died because a 5G transmission mast was rolled out in the Hague. Fact-checking website Snopes found that no 5G test had occurred during the time of the starling deaths.