Snap Judgements: How Audiences Who Lack Trust in News Navigate Information on Digital Platforms

Abstract

This report examines how audiences lacking trust in most news organisations make sense of news they encounter while navigating platforms, specifically Facebook, Google, and WhatsApp. Based on interviews with people in Brazil, India, United Kingdom, and United States, we find that they encounter limited news, and when they do, they often rely on mental shortcuts to determine what they can trust. More specifically, we find they often form snap judgments based on (1) pre-existing ideas about news in general or specific brands, (2) social cues from family and friends, (3) the tone and wording of headlines, (4) the use of visuals, (5) the presence of advertising, and (6) platform-specific cues. While some of these cues may be beyond the scope of what news organisations have influence over - putting the onus on platforms - others are within the scope of publishers' control but require them to be more attuned to how their content is exhibited in these spaces.