When It Comes to Fighting Misinformation, Most People Want Action—Just Not From Themselves

A viral video of rabbits bouncing on a backyard trampoline captivated more than 200 million viewers this past July. Appearing to be innocent security camera footage, thousands of people shared the charming clip across social media platforms. The only problem? The entire video was fabricated using artificial intelligence technology.

While many viewers questioned the video’s authenticity, this harmless example highlights a much larger issue: our collective response to misinformation. From fabricated animal videos to dangerous health claims about Tylenol use during pregnancy, vaccine misinformation, and storm-related conspiracies, false information continues to flood social media platforms.

Recent research published by King and colleagues in 2025 reveals a concerning pattern in how people respond to online falsehoods. After surveying more than 1,000 U.S. social media users, researchers uncovered what they described as “overwhelming evidence of hypocrisy” in how people address misinformation.

The study found that 93% of respondents reported seeing misinformation on social media. Among this group, most believed others should take action to counter false information, yet they rarely did so themselves. Even more striking, 26% of respondents admitted to accidentally sharing misinformation, but few took corrective action afterward.

“The gap isn’t about belief,” researchers noted. “Rather, it’s about overcoming situational barriers like time constraints, fear of damaging relationships, and uncertainty about effectiveness.” Despite the inaction, more than two-thirds of respondents believe that correcting misinformation is appropriate and socially desirable.

The researchers proposed several strategies to encourage more active correction of false information. These include publicizing the social acceptability of corrections, creating opportunities for users to commit to corrective behaviors through public pledges, and redesigning social media platforms to reduce misinformation sharing. One suggestion involves implementing pop-up windows that prompt users to review content before sharing.

What makes this issue increasingly urgent is the retreat of institutional fact-checking. In January 2025, Meta—the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads—announced the elimination of their fact-checking programs, following a similar decision by X (formerly Twitter). This shift places the responsibility squarely on individual users to address false information within their networks.

The research indicates this approach might actually be more effective than institutional fact-checking. Corrections from trusted sources like friends and family members typically carry more weight than those from distant organizations. These personal interventions can happen in real time and come from sources that the recipient already trusts.

Most people don’t spread misinformation intentionally. Instead, they share false content accidentally and generally appreciate being corrected when they’ve made a mistake. The challenge lies in bridging the gap between what people believe is right—correcting misinformation—and taking action themselves.

As social media companies continue to step back from fact-checking responsibilities, individual users become increasingly important in the fight against misinformation. This research suggests that while most people support taking action against false information, they need to overcome psychological and social barriers to actually do so.

The solution to our misinformation crisis may not lie in complex technological systems or corporate policies, but in our willingness to engage respectfully with our own social networks when we spot something that doesn’t seem right.