B2 – Upper Intermediate
A new study shows that social media might cause people to make wrong voting decisions, especially when misinformation spreads. When social media posts are fact-checked, people make better decisions. But if there’s misinformation, people might vote less accurately and make choices that don’t reflect the true facts.
This article explains how social media affects voting. To read the full article, follow the link below.
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does “group payoff” mean in the sentence? “Misinformation reduced the overall quality of decision-making, resulting in poorer voting outcomes and lower group payoffs.” Use it in a sentence.
2. What does “partisan view” mean? “People tend to engage more with information that aligns with their existing beliefs, which can reinforce partisan views and further entrench misinformation.” Use it in a sentence.
3. What does “political bias” mean? “Additionally, each participant had a unique partisan preference, which created a personal bias toward one of the outcomes, simulating real-world political biases.” Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- How might misinformation on social media cause people to make wrong choices?
- How can fact-checking improve voting decisions on social media?
- What are some challenges of moderating social media to reduce misinformation?
- How do you feel when you see conflicting information on social media?
- What are some ways to help people make better decisions when using social media?