News credibility labels have limited average effects on news diet quality and fail to reduce misperceptions

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl3844
• Publication Date: 2022-05-06T18:01:47Z
• Authors: Kevin Aslett; Andrew M. Guess; Richard Bonneau; Jonathan Nagler; Joshua A. Tucker
• Keywords: Misinformation

As the primary arena for viral misinformation shifts toward transnational threats, search continues scalable countermeasures compatible with principles of transparency and free expression. We conducted a randomized field experiment evaluating impact source credibility labels embedded in users' social feeds results pages. By combining representative surveys (n = 3337) digital trace data 968) from subset respondents, we provide rare ecologically valid test such an intervention on both attitudes behavior. On average across sample, are unable to detect changes real-world consumption news low-quality sources after 3 weeks. can also rule out small effects perceived accuracy popular spread about Black Lives Matter movement coronavirus disease 2019. However, present suggestive evidence substantively meaningful increase diet quality among heaviest consumers misinformation. discuss implications our findings scholars practitioners.