Misinformation Prebunking: Evidence across Cultures and Platforms

Misinformation has become a pervasive global challenge, amplified by rapid technological advances and the widespread use of digital platforms. Prebunking, an early, preventive intervention designed to inoculate individuals against future misinformation, has emerged as a promising strategy to increase resilience across diverse cultural and digital contexts. This paper reviews the conceptual foundations, methodological approaches, and cross-cultural and cross-platform evidence regarding prebunking interventions. Prebunking leverages inoculation theory by exposing individuals to weakened forms of misinformation alongside targeted forewarnings, fostering critical evaluation and resistance to subsequent misleading messages. Evidence indicates that prebunking is effective across multiple countries, age groups, and platforms, including social media feeds, messaging apps, and interactive simulations. Design principles, such as the use of combined audiovisual content, culturally sensitive framing, and active user engagement, enhance intervention effectiveness. Ethical considerations, including informed consent, user autonomy, and risk–benefit assessments, are central to implementation. Overall, integrating prebunking into public communication strategies offers a scalable, context-sensitive approach to mitigating the spread of misinformation globally. Keywords: Prebunking, Misinformation, Inoculation theory, Cross-cultural resilience, and Digital platforms.