The Most Dangerous Thought Is 'I'm Fine'—Psychology for Not Getting Fooled in the Age of Social Media

Have you ever watched a video of a politician on social media and thought, 'This is terrible'? Or perhaps you've had the experience of feeling convinced that your intuition was right, thinking, 'I knew this person couldn't be trusted'.

To be honest, I have had those moments many times myself.

However, when I learned about certain survey results, a chill ran down my spine. 51.5% of people judged fake videos created by generative AI to be 'accurate information.' Only 14.5% were able to correctly identify them as fake.

Moreover, there was almost no difference based on age. In other words, both the ideas that 'young people are fine because they are tech-savvy' and 'older people are easily fooled' were just assumptions.

Today, from the perspective of a certified public psychologist who has studied cognitive bias, I will talk about 'why we get fooled' and 'how we can protect our own minds'.

Social Media Has Become the 'New Mass Media'

2024 was undoubtedly the 'first year of social media elections'.

The Tokyo gubernatorial election, various prefectural gubernatorial elections, and national elections. Looking back at any of them, it seems that every election had results directly linked to the spread of information on social media.

According to one survey, about 70% of people in their teens to 30s used social media or video sites as a reference when deciding who to vote for. Although television and newspapers still account for the majority, social media is no longer just for 'young people.' It has firmly established itself as a 'new mass media' for all generations.

I myself have realized that in conversations with patients and colleagues, the topic of 'Did you see that video?' has increased. The gateway to information has changed.

This in itself is by no means a bad thing. There is also the aspect that politics has become more accessible and voter turnout among the younger generation has increased. The problem is that this information space has a structure that is easily 'contaminated'.

The True Nature of the Assumption That 'I'm Fine'

Here, let me talk a little about psychology.

'It's other people who get fooled by the media; I'm smart, so I'm not influenced.'

In psychology, this tendency to think this way is called the 'third-person effect.' And ironically, this confidence that 'I'm fine' is exactly what makes us most vulnerable.

Why? Because this confidence causes us to skip the act of 'doubting'.

Even more troublesome is the existence of 'confirmation bias.' People unconsciously accept information they want to believe as 'truth' and try to dismiss information they don't want to believe as 'lies'.

For example, suppose a video of a scandal involving a politician you support appears on your feed. Don't you want to believe it's fake? Conversely, if it's a scandal video of a politician you dislike, don't you immediately believe it, thinking, 'I knew it'?

I am no exception. When I see information that favors the side I support, I tend to neglect verifying it. This 'cognitive vulnerability' is something everyone possesses as long as they are human, regardless of their knowledge level or age.

The 'Other Threat' Brought by Generative AI

The sophistication of fake videos created by generative AI has reached a level where it is now impossible for an amateur to distinguish them from reality.

However, the true threat of AI is not just 'making people believe fakes are real.'

Are you familiar with the term 'Liar's Dividend'? It refers to the phenomenon where, as fake videos become widespread, people can evade accountability for real scandal footage by claiming, 'This is an AI-generated fake.'

In other words, the very 'evidentiary value' of video is being lost.

This is a serious problem for democracy. Not knowing what is true. Not being able to trust anyone. If such 'cynicism' spreads, we will lose faith in the very institution of elections.

'Anger' Spreads. That Is Why You Must Pause

Social media algorithms are designed to amplify our 'anger' and 'fear.'

This is because posts that stir emotions generate more comments and shares, and keep users on the platform longer. For the platform, that is 'good content.'

One study found that posts that incite anger spread faster than posts containing moderate facts.

Therefore, when you feel a strong emotion like 'I can't forgive this!' or 'I knew it!', it is, in a sense, a 'danger signal.' You might be getting emotionally hacked. Consider that, and try putting your smartphone down for a moment.

I call this 'emotional monitoring.' Developing the habit of observing your own inner state is the most fundamental skill for not being deceived.

Three Things We Can Do

So, what can we specifically do? I will share three things I am conscious of every day.

First, it is to 'verify by looking laterally.' In technical terms, this is called 'lateral reading.' When you find information that concerns you, instead of reading the source page deeply, open a new tab and search for that information or the source itself. By checking from multiple perspectives, it becomes easier to notice biases.

Second, it is to 'know the tactics of misinformation in advance.' Before an election, misinformation about election fraud always circulates. AI-generated images often have unnatural fingers or text. Just by knowing these 'patterns,' the probability of being fooled drops significantly. This is called 'prebunking,' or proactive prevention. Think of it like a vaccine.

And the third is to have the principle of "do not spread information you cannot verify." Take a breath before pressing the share button. Ask yourself, "Is this true?" That few-second habit leads to keeping the entire information space healthy.

Your 'mind' is also becoming a battlefield

Finally, let me share something a bit stern.

Elections from 2024 onwards are becoming more than just domestic political struggles. There is a risk that they will become arenas for "cognitive warfare," where foreign powers intervene to deepen social divisions and plant distrust in democracy.

Their goal is not just to make a specific candidate win. It is to spread misinformation to cause confusion and spread a sense of helplessness where people think, "I don't know what to believe." That in itself is an attack.

That is precisely why we need to be aware that not only our "vote" but also our "own minds" are becoming battlefields.

Conclusion—Having a Healthy Skepticism

Approach information with the premise that "it may be contaminated." This does not mean you should doubt everything and become cynical.

Rather, it is an expression of a sincere desire to "know the truth."

As a certified public psychologist, I have studied the workings of the human mind. And what I keenly realize is that "intelligence" and "being hard to fool" are not the same thing. In fact, those who know the limits of their own cognition are the ones who are ultimately harder to fool.

You read this article to the end today. Just by doing that, you have already taken a step forward.

Do not think "I am fine." Take a breath before spreading information. And try to encounter opposing opinions as well.

The accumulation of those small habits will protect you and make the information space of this society just a little bit healthier. That is what I believe.

(I have written a novel about cognitive warfare during a timely election period. I hope you will check it out.)

#SNSElection #FakeNewsCountermeasures #CognitiveBias #InformationLiteracy #CertifiedPublicPsychologist