“I figured her feeling a little bit bad was worth it to not spread that kind of hate”: exploring how UK families discuss and challenge misinformation

Misinformation has become a regular occurrence in our lives with many different approaches being sought to address it. One effective way to combat misinformation is for trusted individuals (e.g., family members) to challenge the misinformed person. However, less is known about how these conversations between trusted individuals occur, and how they may impact on relationships. We look to address this gap by conducting semi-structured interviews with family members in the UK who have experienced misinformation within their family networks. We identify several barriers individuals face when challenging misinformed family members, such as the misinformed person’s personality and the extent that pre-conceptions influence beliefs. We also find individuals developing strategies to overcome these barriers, and to cope with difficulties that arise through these conversations. Despite technology being the main driver for misinformation spread, we find it has limitations when used to facilitate or mediate conversations for challenging misinformation between family members.