Finding reliable data online can be a real pain.
Clickbait headlines, misleading statistics, and confirmation bias abound. So how do we navigate that responsibly and make data-driven decisions?
In today’s newsletter:
An example of a well meaning, but misleading headline
5 tips for sifting through false information online.
Upcoming opportunities to learn more in person.
Let’s dive in.
Beware Clickbait Headlines
Dr. Jacqueline Nesi recently challenged an article on The Washington Post with the following headline:
The Washington Post
Here’s what she found.
What the study actually was: Researchers had 467 people block all mobile internet on their phones for two weeks. Calls and texts still worked.
What it actually found: Participants' sustained attention improved by an amount researchers compared to "10 years of age-related cognitive decline", a benchmark borrowed from a separate aging study to give the effect size real-world meaning.
What the WaPo headline claimed: That a digital detox could reverse 10 years of social media brain damage, implying the study measured pre-existing damage caused by social media and then reversed it.
What the study never did: Measure brain activity at all. Measure how much social media had harmed anyone before the study began. Or make any claim about reversing damage, social media-related or otherwise.
The numbers were real, but the headline was way misleading.
Even Dr. Nesi herself admitted she clicked it, and she's a researcher who studies this field for a living, and she’d actually written about the SAME study years before…
That's exactly what makes this a good teaching moment.
How do we know what data online is trustworthy?
References
5 Tips for Sniffing Out Skewed Data
I’m all for highlighting the challenges presented by social media use, but framing that data dishonestly doesn’t help our case in the long run.
It gives a sort of short term win, but with that may come unintended consequences. For example, The Washington Post article in question could overestimate short-term detoxes and underestimate the importance of building lifelong, healthy digital habits.
A detox does no good if it’s followed by a binge.
This got me thinking: with so many headlines and numbers flying across our screens, how do we discern data responsibly?
Over years of sifting through data online on the topic of screen addiction, effects of social media, and tech policy, I’ve had to develop a criteria for not falling prey to click bait.
Here are 5 things to keep in mind when reading data online.
1. Start with a healthy dose of skepticism.
In a world full of deepfakes, clickbait, and curated algorithms, we have to navigate the internet assuming things aren’t as they seem and that someone is pulling on my emotions.
Sometimes, I simply ask: Who benefits if I believe this?
Someone funded the research, wrote the headline, or chose which chart went viral. That doesn’t make it wrong, but it does mean there’s a perspective behind it.
2. Hunt for the original source.
Whenever you can, cut out the middle man.
Find the original study. Then, critically approach its methodology and conclusions. When you read an article, you’re already reading someone else’s slant.
That’s why I do my best to link out to the original studies in this newsletter. My perspective is one thing, and I genuinely hope it helps, but I hope you go on to form your own data-informed decisions.
3. Find your trusted secondary sources.
Primary sources can be a difficult and time-consuming read. Your next best bet: find trusted voices commenting on the data.
Some of my personal favorites:
You still need to be diligent and think critically, but those with proven track records can help you understand how to approach the data.
4. Look for what’s missing, not just what’s shown.
The most misleading data isn’t necessarily fake: it’s incomplete.
In fact, all data is incomplete.
Studies don’t measure all parts of life; they’re controlled environments that remove variables to measure for specific outcomes. They don’t measure the variety and challenges of day-to-day life.
Critical readers look for what’s not being said with the numbers.
5. Commit to lifelong learning.
Numbers usually don’t lie, but research is ever evolving.
As the body of research grows over a topic, our understanding should as well. Research will shed new light on topics. You might feel challenged. You might be forced to arrive at new conclusions.
That’s what learning is.
To live differently in the digital age, we need to charge forward with boldness, wisdom, and ongoing curiosity.
What do you think?
Reply to this email and let me know:
Which of these five habits is hardest for you?
Who are your go-to voices when it comes to screen time research?
Looking to keep learning? 👨🏻🏫
If you want to continue learning and growing, there’s an event I’d love to invite you to!
Region One Prevention Conference
I’ll be leading a breakout session on video games, social media, and their connection to relapses in other addictions at the
💬 Region One Prevention Conference
📍 Fayetteville Public Library on
📆 Monday, June 8 from 12-2 pm.
This conference is open to the public and free. It is a welcoming community for parents, teachers, law enforcement, and leaders to learn about substance misuse and building healthy futures in Northwest Arkansas.
Reply to this email if you want more info on how to attend.
I got to speak at the Mt. Comfort Church of Christ this past weekend.
It was one of the most engaged groups of people I’ve ever taught and at least 1/3rd of the 250 people in attendance were 55+.
My son got to tag along and see me get set up before a friend picked him up which is always fun to get to ask him about after.
Thanks for reading!
— Ian