A kinder way to combat misinformation

Plus: Daylight saving time sleep adjustments

View this email online Today’s newsletter is brought to you by digital editor Malaka Gharib A few years ago, I got into a huge fight with my favorite uncle.  He insisted that a rumor he’d heard on the internet was true. Which, from my research, was completely untrue. So he and I just got into it. It turned into a huge shouting match, with me ending the argument by calling him “an idiot.”  It’s hard to combat misinformation -- false or inaccurate information -- with your loved ones. You take everything so personally. How could my uncle, a person who I admired so much growing up, have these beliefs? How could his beloved niece be so disrespectful and childish?  Correcting falsehoods is an art -- and also an act of duty. And I know now that there are better ways to do it. In a recent episode of Life Kit, NPR producer Audrey Nguyen explains how to have sensitive and loving conversations with family members about misinformation.  A kinder way to combat misinformation Ricardo Tomás for NPR ⏲️ Take time to understand why your loved one believes the misleading content Recognize that your family member has a whole life's worth of experiences that affect how they engage with whatever they read online or hear on the news.  “So often people's memories really shaped the ways that they engage in current ways with political systems and their media environments,” says Rachel Kuo, research facilitator of the Asian American Disinformation Table. Kuo recommends starting the process somewhere surprising: by asking them questions about their family history. From there, ask questions like: “What are some of the things that you've engaged in recently? Have you voted, for example, or have you been vaccinated? Why or why not?” says Kuo. ✨ Realize you’re not trying to change anyone’s core beliefs. You’re simply addressing a piece of information that is not correct Sarah Nguyễn, a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington Information School, says these conversations are not about trying to change someone inherently. “It is more about how [we can] build this coexisting trust with each other and continue these types of conversations in a sustainable and healthy way," she says. The goal here is to keep the conversation going.  Making someone feel like there’s something wrong with their worldview is just going to cause them to shut down. 💬 Don't expect things to change after one conversation If things are getting unproductive or you’re getting stonewalled, it’s OK to take a step back, says Kuo. “And sometimes, if you just don't see eye to eye on a topic, it's OK to [drop it to] preserve the relationship,” says Briony Swire-Thompson, director of the Psychology of Misinformation Lab at Northeastern University.   6 ways to confront misinformation Newsletter continues after sponsor message 5 Life Kit videos you may have missed on NPR’s Instagram Don’t miss Life Kit’s reels, stories and posts on @NPR’s Instagram. Follow the tag #NPRLifeKit to add our content to your feed. Plus, you’ll get to see all the wonderful people who work on our team! Your plastic loofah is probably disgusting. 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