Shots and Boosters: Exploring the Use of Combined Prebunking Interventions to Raise Critical Thinking and Create Long-Term Protection Against Misinformation
Huiyun Tang, Anastasia Sergeeva
TL;DR
Misinformation propagation presents a major challenge with debunking showing limited reach. The paper advocates a combined prebunking framework that integrates inoculation-based training with reinforcement nudges, powered by AI, to build and sustain critical thinking about online information. It synthesizes prior work on critical thinking, digital/media literacy, and HCI interventions, then presents a two-stage AI-driven design: Stage 1 inoculation training evaluated by journalistic criteria and Stage 2 personalized boosters that reinforce learning in everyday contexts. The contribution is a detailed design concept for an adaptive, low-load intervention intended to scale and provide long-term resistance to misinformation, with potential implications for education, social platforms, and public discourse.
Abstract
The problem of how to effectively mitigate the flow of misinformation remains a significant challenge. The classical approach to this is public disapproval of claims or "debunking." The approach is still widely used on social media, but it has some severe limitations in terms of applicability and efficiency. An alternative strategy is to enhance individuals' critical thinking through educational interventions. Instead of merely disproving misinformation, these approaches aim to strengthen users' reasoning skills, enabling them to evaluate and reject false information independently. In this position paper, we explore a combination of intervention methods designed to improve critical thinking in the context of online media consumption. We highlight the role of AI in supporting different stages of these interventions and present a design concept that integrates AI-driven strategies to foster critical reasoning and media literacy.