Fighting Fake News: Building Cognitive Resistance and Mental Antibodies Through a Digital Media Literacy Inoculation Intervention.

This article focuses on addressing the growing challenge of misinformation in digital media by integrating digital media literacy education into marketing curricula. It proposes a digital media literacy inoculation intervention—comprising video tutorials and quizzes on information literacy, media literacy, and technological literacy techniques such as lateral reading and click restraint—to equip graduate marketing students with skills to critically evaluate online information. The study found that after the intervention, students demonstrated increased ability to assess source credibility, evaluate evidence, apply lateral reading, and exercise click restraint, alongside enhanced self-efficacy in information seeking. The modules are designed for flexible integration into various marketing courses and aim to prepare students to navigate digital information landscapes ethically and effectively. Limitations include the focus on graduate students and potential testing effects, suggesting further research is needed across different educational levels and contexts.