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Can fact-checking podcasts combat misinformation in South Africa?

Last registered on April 28, 2021
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Can fact-checking podcasts combat misinformation in South Africa?
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0007615
Initial registration date
April 27, 2021

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
April 28, 2021, 10:30 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Last updated
April 28, 2021, 10:31 AM EDT

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

Country
South Africa
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Shelley Liu
Affiliation
UC Berkeley, Goldman School of Public Policy
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
John Marshall
PI Affiliation
Columbia University
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PI Name
Horacio Larreguy
PI Affiliation
Harvard University
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PI Name
Kevin Croke
PI Affiliation
Harvard University, T.H. Chan School of Public Health
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PI Name
Jeremy Bowles
PI Affiliation
Harvard University
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Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2020-10-23
End date
2022-01-22
Keywords
Behavior, Governance, Health
Additional Keywords
misinformation
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Abstract
Potentially harmful misinformation runs rampant on social media across a wide set of countries. We explore how fact-checking podcasts can be used to inhibit citizens’ exposure to misinformation, increase their knowledge about COVID-19, and ultimately increase their compliance with public health policies. The intervention we study uses WhatsApp-delivered podcasts as an attention-catching method of delivering verified information to individuals who may otherwise have limited access to credible online sources. We partner with the first and largest fact-checking organization in sub-Saharan Africa, Africa Check, and randomize the delivery of variants of their programming to a recruited sample of participants in a panel survey in South Africa. The study has implications both for understanding how citizens’ exposure to misinformation can be reduced with low- cost interventions and how the correction of false information can increase citizens’ trust in public policies.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Bowles, Jeremy et al. 2021. "Can fact-checking podcasts combat misinformation in South Africa?." AEA RCT Registry. April 28. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.7615-1.1
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We explore how fact-checking pod- casts can be used to inhibit citizens’ exposure to misinformation, increase their knowledge about COVID-19, and ultimately increase their compliance with public health policies. The intervention we study uses WhatsApp-delivered podcasts as an attention-catching method of delivering verified information to individuals who may otherwise have limited access to credible online sources.
Intervention Start Date
2020-10-23
Intervention End Date
2022-01-22

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
We investigate three groups of outcomes:
1. Increased knowledge of information covered by treatment delivery.
2. Perceptions of the extent of misinformation circulating online.
3. Trust in social media platforms
4. Post-sharing behavior
5. Behaviors around misinformation
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Detailed discussion included in PAP.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Study participants are randomly assigned to either control or one treatment group. The treatments are distinguished along three dimensions: (1) mode of information delivery; (2) messaging encouraging information consumption; (3) whether participants are incentivized to take up the treatment.
Experimental Design Details
Detailed discussion included in PAP.
Randomization Method
We block randomize batches of participants into treatment conditions once every two weeks. We block on a set of variables including demographic characteristics, social media usage, attitudes towards different media sources, and knowledge regarding pieces of misinformation.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
Information included in PAP.
Sample size: planned number of observations
Information included in PAP.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Information included in PAP.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials

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IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Harvard University Committee on the Use of Human Subjects
IRB Approval Date
2020-08-06
IRB Approval Number
IRB20-1322
IRB Name
Human Research Protection Office, Columbia Unviersity
IRB Approval Date
2020-09-01
IRB Approval Number
IRB-AAAT2554
IRB Name
Committee for Protection of Human Subjects, UC Berkeley
IRB Approval Date
2020-08-13
IRB Approval Number
2020-07-13490
Analysis Plan

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Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials