Forewarned is Forearmed? Anti-Vaccine Content and User Perception of Warning Labels
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2025.6.2917Keywords:
warning messages, vaccination, mixed-methods research, human-computer interaction, internet research, social mediaAbstract
The proliferation of misinformation online has compelled social media platforms to develop effective countermeasures. This study investigates user perceptions of different interface warning labels, using anti-vaccine content as an example. The research focuses on the social network «VKontakte» (VK), a major platform in the Russian-speaking internet segment that has previously experimented with such labels. We empirically compare four warning formats: two commonly used ones (a content-blocking interstitial pop-up and a permanent banner) and two experimental types (a refutational message and a combined format informed by user preferences). A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving a research cycle of semi-structured interviews (N = 4), a preference test (N = 169), and an online experiment (N = 309). The findings reveal a statistically significant user preference for messages that provide a structured refutation of false claims (p-value = 0.026). However, none of the tested warning formats resulted in a significant reduction in users' willingness to engage with the labeled post (i.e., liking, sharing, commenting). Based on these results, the study provides practical design recommendations for interface elements to counter misinformation, targeting researchers, designers, and platform developers.
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