A WISER intervention to combat the influence of misinformation on social media

Purpose Misinformation is a major threat to individual, organizational and societal well-being. Combating it requires change on multiple levels. The purpose of this paper is to describe two co-created initiatives designed to holistically reduce the prevalence and effects of misinformation on social media. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted a co-creation approach by convening a stakeholder group including social media, advertising, artificial intelligence and advocacy leaders. The authors also engaged social media users to collectively generate, test and implement an anti-misinformation strategy. These stakeholders shaped the development of the tools described in this paper. Findings First, the authors present a Social Media Ecosystem Map and Incentive Analysis that achieve impact by documenting avenues for action. Second, the authors illustrate impact at the user level by developing and disseminating the WISER framework, which delivers an implementable and memorable anti-misinformation strategy. Research limitations/implications Strategies tailored to the needs and characteristics of stakeholders are most likely to be persuasive. The discoveries and conclusions incorporate the contexts of the stakeholders with whom the authors collaborated. Future work will reveal recommendations for a broader audience. Practical implications The Social Media Ecosystem Map, Incentive Analysis and WISER framework represent promising foundations to spark novel insights and actions for ways to be WISER about information on social media. Originality/value Impact is often limited because strategies are developed in academic, corporate or policy silos. The authors adopt an original approach by exchanging knowledge among industry, academia and users with the aim of maximizing effectiveness and adoption.