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Expecting people to detect false information on their own and to avoid sharing it seems unwise; evidence suggests people often are vulnerable to accepting misinformation at face value. Similarly, simply asking people to not spread misinformation is unlikely to stop sharing in all cases. Communication technology makes some instances of inadvertent sharing possible, and such accidents could be reduced by adding a confirmation step before sharing occurs. Volitional sharing of misinformation may pose a greater challenge. Addressing such sharing will require that we understand the social identity, bonding, and emotion regulation benefits of sharing. Future survey research could elicit beliefs about misinformation sharing and researchers could use those beliefs to build predictive models. With that work in hand, we may be in a better position to respectfully offer alternative ways for people to satisfy key needs without spreading misinformation.
