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Foolproof cover art

Foolproof

By: Sander van der Linden
Narrated by: Sander van der Linden
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Summary

Winner of British Psychological Society Best Book Prize (Popular Science) 2023

Nature’s Top 10 Books of 2023

A Financial Times Book of the Year 2023

A Waterstones Book of the Year for Politics 2023

One of the world’s top experts on fighting misinformation reveals the psychology behind its power – and how we can protect ourselves.

From fake news to conspiracy theories, from pandemics to politics, misinformation may be the defining problem of our era. Like a virus, misinformation infects our minds – altering our beliefs and replicating at astonishing rates. Once the virus takes hold, our primary strategies of fact-checking and debunking are an insufficient cure.

In Foolproof Sander van der Linden describes how to inoculate yourself and others against the spread of misinformation, discern fact from fiction and push back against methods of mass persuasion.

Everyone is susceptible to fake news. There are polarising narratives in society, conspiracy theories are rife, fake experts dole out misleading advice and accuracy is often lost in favour of sensationalist headlines. So how and why does misinformation spread if we’re all aware of its existence? And, more importantly, what can we do about it?

Sander van der Linden takes us through the psychology of conspiratorial thinking and equips us with the eleven antigens needed to help stop the spread of misinformation once and for all.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Sander van der Linden (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"An insightful and forensic examination of why our brains entertain disinformation – and the remedies that can protect us all from its real-world harm. For everyone who messages me asking how they can speak to someone who has fallen victim to online conspiracies – this is the book for you!" (Marianna Spring)

"A fascinating, in-depth investigation into the complex landscape of misinformation from someone who has spent his career trying to combat fake news. You will never look at your social media feeds in the same way again." (Angela Saini, author of Inferior and Superior)

"This brilliant book vividly illuminates the challenges of countering misinformation, showing how human psychology can make us vulnerable to manipulation and conspiracy theories. Van der Linden’s analysis would be utterly depressing, were he not to provide a set of powerful evidence-based 'antigens' designed to protect us from false claims. They have never been more needed." (Sir David Spiegelhalter)

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There is hope

Fascinating listen, before listening I thought the misinformation wave had already drowned any hope of been beaten.
Maybe just maybe little by little we can inoculate ourselves and others against this highly contagious virus.

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How to brainwash.

What I find difficult to understand is why Mr Van Der Linden is so keen to keep us from normal debate - why can’t we hear evidence from scientists, doctors, and others with experience and then make up our own minds? I don’t know that the internet poses more danger than old wives tales, tittle tattle, and rumour that humans have always been surrounded by, they evaluated, chose their own truth, and society flourished. It doesn’t matter whether what appears is true or false, or whether it is just a different opinion. The fear that is being generated by this type of brainwashing against misinformation and disinformation is in itself very concerning. Let’s vote for free speech, free expression, human rights, and good old human common sense. If your argument is stronger it will win out. I don’t think this will cause any unusual danger to others. For example, information has been strongly controlled since the advent of fact checkers and media literacy training. Yet now we have MORE war MORE excess deaths MORE damaging laws that restrict our rights and freedoms. The problem is that those with wealth and power pay the likes of Mr Van Der Linden to dream up his brainwashing ideas.

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Detailed methodologies and great insights into infodemic

Excellent stories retold from first hand research and experiences. vast experience with the topic conveyed in a clear understandable way

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