HSE Researchers Determine Which Internet Users Are More Likely to Fact-Check
Researchers at HSE University examined the strategies employed by Russian internet users to verify unreliable information and the factors that motivate them to do so. The study found that more than half of users who encounter potentially false information online attempt to verify it by locating the original source. The likelihood of fact-checking is influenced by several factors, including age, place of residence, social status, information literacy skills, and the use of AI. The findings have been published in Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes.
The digital environment is becoming increasingly saturated with content. According to experts, the amount of data generated and consumed daily exceeds 220 zettabytes in 2026 (one zettabyte equals one trillion gigabytes). At the same time, the volume of unreliable content continues to grow. This issue has become particularly pronounced in recent years due to the rapid expansion of social media and the widespread adoption of AI technologies capable of generating plausible texts, images, and videos. As a result, users increasingly need to determine for themselves whether the information they encounter can be trusted.
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) investigated how often Russians encounter unreliable information online, the tactics they use to verify it, and which groups of users are most likely to engage in fact-checking.
The study drew on data from two waves of the Monitoring of Digital Transformation of the Economy and Society, nationwide surveys conducted by HSE ISSEK in 2022 and 2024, each involving more than 10,000 Russians aged 14 and older. For the analysis, the researchers focused on respondents who reported encountering false information online, representing about half of the country’s internet users. The data was analysed using binary logistic regression, a statistical method that made it possible to assess the likelihood of respondents employing at least one fact-checking tactic.
The study found that about half of Russian internet users have encountered potentially false information online, and more than half of those users have attempted to verify it.
The most common verification tactic is searching for the primary source of information, which is employed by about one-third of users. Around a quarter check the credibility of the original poster. Other methods include verifying specific details such as dates and names, discussing the content with others, and comparing accounts of the same event across different online sources. Notably, only a small proportion of users—about 3%—rely on fact-checking services such as Snopes.
The results of the analysis indicate that younger users are more likely to verify information than older individuals. Fact-checking behaviour is also influenced by place of residence: users in Moscow and St Petersburg are significantly more likely to verify content than others, while no substantial differences were found between residents of other million-plus cities and those in smaller communities. Another factor affecting levels of trust in information is income: middle- and high-income users are more likely to question the accuracy of the content they encounter.
Liliya Kuzina
'These results indicate the existence of digital inequality: older people, residents of smaller towns and rural areas, and low-income users are more vulnerable to online manipulation,' said study co-author Liliya Kuzina, Junior Research Fellow at HSE ISSEK.
Those with a high level of openness to technology who regularly work with information online are also better protected against unreliable content. However, gender, level of education, and frequency of internet use have little to no effect on the likelihood of fact-checking.
Evgenii Popov
'It is important to understand that fact-checking is not an automatic consequence of online activity but a deliberate practice. Passive scrolling does not foster critical thinking. Moreover, spending excessive time online can further contribute to the spread of false information,' explains study co-author Evgenii Popov, Research Fellow at the HSE ISSEK Laboratory for Economics of Innovation.
The role of AI is of particular interest. According to the authors, AI can become an important tool in countering misinformation, for example through built-in features for verifying sources and assessing the authenticity of content. However, this requires users to develop critical thinking skills and the ability to engage with information in a more conscious and deliberate way.
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