Psychological Inoculation Against Misinformation | Sander van der Linden

### Skeptical Inquirer Presents

# Psychological Inoculation Against Misinformation | Sander van der Linden

### Featuring: Sander van der Linden

##### June 26, 2025 - 7:00 pm EDT

Register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/zhMkFKRjC0qI2KORmPVfnQ2
Much like a viral contagion, misinformation can spread rapidly from one mind to another. Moreover, once lodged in memory, falsehoods are difficult to correct. Inoculation theory offers a natural basis for developing a psychological “vaccine” against the spread of fake news and misinformation. Is it possible to pre-emptively “immunize” millions of people against disinformation by pre-exposing them to severely weakened doses of the techniques that underlie its production?

Join us on Thursday, June 26, at 7:00 p.m. ET as Stuart Vyse hosts a Skeptical Inquirer Presents conversation with Professor Sander van der Linden. He’ll describe the lab and field studies into the process called “prebunking,” which van der Linden says helps people cultivate cognitive antibodies in both simulated and real social media environments. He’ll also detail several interventions—developed and evaluated with public health authorities and technology companies—to help people around the world recognize and resist unwanted attempts to influence and mislead.

# Author: Sander van der Linden

Sander van der Linden is professor of social psychology in society at the University of Cambridge. His latest book is titled Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects our Minds and How to Build Immunity (W.W. Norton). His website is sandervanderlinden.com .
This live online event is free, but advance registration is required. Sign up today!