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The Role of Trust and Familiarity in Navigating Digital News and Misinformation
Author: Osnat Mokryn
In the digital age, trust and familiarity are crucial for navigating the vast and often misleading world of online news. As social media becomes the main news source for over 60% of users, misinformation spreads rapidly, eroding trust in institutions and impacting public health and safety. Familiarity, often built through repeated exposure to certain content and creators, helps people feel more secure in evaluating credibility, particularly in digital spaces where traditional trust cues are absent. This article explores how trust and familiarity influence our perception of truth and reliability, shedding light on the psychological impact of repeated exposure. It highlights the importance of these elements as people strive to critically assess the accuracy of information in a misinformation-saturated landscape.