Abstract

This essay discusses the distinct vulnerability of adolescents to the consumption of misinformation on social media platforms and offers possible explanations for the greater risk they face compared to adults in their daily navigation of social media. This paper investigates how the prevalence of misinformation on social media inevitably leads to detrimental effects, including an increased risk of psychological disorders such as anxiety, and a decreased trust in authority figures. Psychological concepts such as the illusory truth effect are discussed to demonstrate the severity of the current situation. Finally, the current paper proposes potential intervention strategies in the context of education, primarily aimed at reducing the number of adolescents who fall victim to the ever expanding misinformation on social media platforms.

Keywords: Social Media, misinformation, anxiety, cognition, illusory truth effect

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