
Foolproof: Why We Fall for Misinformation and How to Build Immunity (Hardback)
Sander van der Linden (author)Published: 16/02/2023

A crash course in innoculating oneself against the virus of misinformation, van der Linden's riveting study deconstructs why anyone can fall for fake news and how we can identify fact from fiction.
One of the world's top experts on fighting misinformation reveals the psychology behind its power - and how we can protect ourselves.
From fake news to conspiracy theories, from pandemics to politics, misinformation may be the defining problem of our era. Like a virus, misinformation infects our minds - altering our beliefs and replicating at astonishing rates. Once the virus takes hold, our primary strategies of fact-checking and debunking are an insufficient cure.
In Foolproof Sander van der Linden describes how to inoculate yourself and others against the spread of misinformation, discern fact from fiction and push back against methods of mass persuasion.
Everyone is susceptible to fake news. There are polarising narratives in society, conspiracy theories are rife, fake experts dole out misleading advice and accuracy is often lost in favour of sensationalist headlines. So how and why does misinformation spread if we're all aware of its existence? And, more importantly, what can we do about it?
Sander van der Linden takes us through the psychology of conspiratorial thinking and equips us with the eleven antigens needed to help stop the spread of misinformation once and for all.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780008466718
Number of pages: 336
Weight: 620 g
Dimensions: 240 x 159 x 33 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'An insightful and forensic examination of why our brains entertain disinformation - and the remedies that can protect us all from its real-world harm. For everyone who messages me asking how they can speak to someone who has fallen victim to online conspiracies - this is the book for you!' - Marianna Spring
'A fascinating, in-depth investigation into the complex landscape of misinformation from someone who has spent his career trying to combat fake news. You will never look at your social media feeds in the same way again' - Angela Saini
'This brilliant book vividly illuminates the challenges of countering misinformation, showing how human psychology can make us vulnerable to manipulation and conspiracy theories. Van der Linden's analysis would be utterly depressing, were he not to provide a set of powerful evidence-based 'antigens' designed to protect us from false claims. They have never been more needed' - Professor David Spiegelhalter
'Sander van der Linden is one of the world's leading experts on combating misinformation, and Foolproof is the ultimate handbook for navigating - and fighting back against - the tsunami that threatens to drown us in bullshit... this book will give you the best strategies for building immunity against fake news, propaganda, and conspiracy theories' - Jay Van Bavel, author of The Power of Us
'This book provides that straight information about the origins, workings, and consequences of misinformation/disinformation-infused messaging... I am so glad we now have this book. There's nothing else like it' - Robert B. Cialdini
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“Insightful and fascinating”
This book is an incredible read, it makes you realise how truly impressionable we could all be and how to avoid believing fake news. As the book puts it, it is an innoculation against conspiracy and I think it's... More
“insightful and engaging!”
This book is the perfect example of a flawless non-fiction piece. Talking the reader through everything to understand misinformation and how it spreads through our population.
With technology growing day by day...
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“Worth Reading”
Sander van der Linden adeptly navigates the intricate terrain of fake news, conspiracy theories, and propaganda, offering a comprehensive and perceptive analysis of the psychology behind their potent impact.
With...
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