Brandolini’s Law: why is refuting nonsense on the internet so hard?

It’s simple. The amount of energy required to disprove nonsense is orders of magnitude greater than the amount of energy required to create it.

Today, with social media dominating our lives and information spreading at lightning speed, we are often confronted with nonsense, misinformation and conspiracy theories. This phenomenon is not new, but it has taken on unprecedented proportions with the advent of the digital era. This is where Brandolini’s Law comes in and helps us understand why debunking nonsense is so challenging. But let’s start at the beginning.

What is Brandolini’s Law?

Named after Italian programmer and blogger Alberto Brandolini, the “law” states, “The amount of energy required to refute nonsense is orders of magnitude greater than the amount of energy required to create it.” This principle, also known as the “bullshit asymmetry principle,” shows us the imbalance between spreading misinformation and correcting it.
A lie can afford to be emotionally charged, tabloidly presented, completely out of touch with reality. And to make matters worse, it leaves strong furrows in our mental worlds, especially if we are exposed to it repeatedly and ideally from sources we consider authoritative.

Examples that illustrate Brandolini’s Law

1. The Moon Landing Conspiracy Theory
   Creation of nonsense: One popular conspiracy theory claims that the 1969 moon landing was staged and filmed by a Hollywood studio. This nonsense can be spread very easily – all it takes is a few minutes to write a social media post or a short video presenting “evidence” such as strange shadows or a flying flag.
   
   Refuting the nonsense: Refuting this conspiracy requires much more energy. Experts must explain in detail the physical conditions on the moon, the technical details of the space missions, analyze photos and videos of the landings, and cite the testimony of thousands of people involved in the Apollo project. The whole process may involve complex scientific explanations and the publication of lengthy articles or documents. (more here)
   
2. False health claims about vaccinations
   Making Nonsense: Imagine a simple Facebook post, “Vaccinations cause autism.” This post can be written in seconds, contains an emotional story, and spreads quickly among people who already have doubts about vaccinations.
   
   Debunking the nonsense: Refuting this claim requires extensive explanation. It includes quotes from many studies that prove there is no link between vaccinations and autism. It must also explain the methodology of these studies, the history of vaccines, the development and testing of vaccines, as well as discuss the original bogus study that first popularized this claim. This process requires expertise, time and considerable effort, or at least research into the emotional stories of people whose children died a century ago from now eradicated diseases, for example.
   
3. Myths about global warming
   Making nonsense: It’s easy to let loose the phrase, “Global warming is a hoax, we have cold winters.” This simple and quickly disseminated message exploits common misconceptions about the difference between weather and climate.
   
   Refuting nonsense: Debunking this myth, of course, requires a detailed explanation of the difference between weather and climate, long-term trends in climate data, and evidence of global warming, such as temperature measurements, changes in glaciers and sea levels, and impacts on ecosystems. This requires deeper scientific knowledge and patient explanation. And most importantly, patient readers.

Why is it important to know these patterns?

1. Speed of spread: disinformation spreads quickly and easily. People are often willing to share shocking or interesting information without verifying its veracity if it is emotionally charged enough. Social media exacerbates this tendency with its algorithms that prefer content with a high level of interaction, or if you prefer, conflict.
2. Confirmation bias: People tend to trust information that confirms their pre-existing opinions and prejudices (e.g. if I think the EU is bad and evil, I am more likely to trust news that confirms my opinion). Thus, misinformation can quickly take root in the minds of individuals and society as a whole.
3. The complexity of truth: True information is often complex and requires thorough explanation, which is rather a nuisance in today’s world of superficial information. In contrast, misinformation can be simple but engaging and emotionally charged, making it more appealing to a wide audience. This is a principle that can be succinctly summed up by saying that it is much easier to trust self-important charlatans and magicians than scientists.
   And finally, the million dollar question.

And finally, the million-dollar question.

How to effectively counter misinformation?

1. Fact checking: before you share something, check the facts from credible sources. Use fact-checking sites like FactCheck.org, Snopes.
2. Education. Teach people how to spot misinformation and how to verify the truthfulness of information.
3. Attention to detail: Disinformation often contains errors, typos or nonsensical arguments. Careful reading and analysis can reveal inconsistencies.
4. Empathy and dialogue: When confronted with someone who believes misinformation, try to explain empathetically why their information is incorrect. An aggressive approach often leads to a defensive response and reinforcement of incorrect beliefs.
5. Support scientific and credible media: Monitor and share information from credible and reputable sources. Support media that adhere to ethical journalistic standards.
   In sum, Brandolini’s Law reminds us how important it is to be prudent and careful when consuming and disseminating information. While refuting misinformation can be challenging, each of us can do our part to spread truthful information and protect ourselves from nonsense. All it takes is a little critical thinking, empathy and effort. Together, we can create a more informed and resilient society.