Osipova V.V., Kosova E.M. Does Usability Manipulate Trust in Fake News? Analyzing the Influence of Structural Cues on Initial Trust in News Interfaces
Veronika V. Osipova , researcher at the Laboratory for Cognitive Psychology of Digital Interface Users, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; bld. 3, Krivokolenny Ln., Moscow, Russia, 101000.
Ekaterina M. Kosova , researcher at the Laboratory for Cognitive Psychology of Digital Interface Users, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; bld. 3, Krivokolenny Ln., Moscow, Russia, 101000; ORCID: 0009-0002-5642-7380; ekatherine.kosova@gmail.com
Statement of the Problem. In the age of pervasive digitalization, online news consumption is growing steadily. Simultaneously, tools for creating and spreading fake news are expanding. Previous research highlights the impact of structural usability elements on trust across domains, yet their specific effect on trust in news web interfaces remains inadequately explored.
The Purpose of the Study. This study aims to investigate the effect of structural usability cues on users’ primary trust in news web interfaces. It seeks to determine which structural elements contribute to trust formation and what limitations may accompany their influence.
Methods and Respondents. The study employed an experimental online design. Respondents (N = 129) assessed trustworthiness of news web interfaces varying in cue presence/absence, type, and location. Additional independent variables: perceived interface familiarity, initial news quality beliefs, and respondents' demographics.
Findings. The presence of structural cues, along with their type and location, had a significant impact on trust in news interfaces, with cued interfaces rated higher than those without cues. Trust also correlated with the perceived familiarity of the interface. Initial beliefs significantly affected trust levels, with participants informed that all news was truthful showing the least trust, possibly due to suspicion evoked by an atypically positive framing.
Conclusion & Significance. The study underscores the importance of usability cues in fostering initial trust in digital news interfaces. The results emphasize the role of interface predictability and user expectations in trust dynamics, offering insights for designing trustworthy online media platforms.
Key words: usability, trust, human digital interaction, risk perception, online trust, web interfaces
For citation: Osipova, V.V., Kosova, E.M. (2026). Does Usability Manipulate Trust in Fake News? Analyzing the Influence of Structural Cues on Initial Trust in News Interfaces. New Psychological Research, No. 2, 228–250. DOI: 10.51217/npsyresearch_2026_06_02_12
Acknowledgement
This work/article is an output of a research project (HSE-BR-2025-046) implemented as part of the Basic Research Program at HSE University.
Keywords: usability trust human digital interaction risk perception online trust web interfaces
Received: 21st june 2026
Published: 21st june 2026