WSU study tracks conspiracy theory trust

PULLMAN — A new study from Washington State University researchers suggests some skepticism toward social media is key to the ability to identify misinformation.

In a study published in the journal “Public Understanding of Science” March 5, it reports people with high trust in information found on social media sites were more likely to believe in conspiracies – false explanations of significant events – even if they were able it identify other kinds of misinformation.

The study showed this held whether for older conspiracy theories and for newer ones, such as those regarding COVID.

“There was...