Recognizing and Responding to Misinformation and Disinformation
You are scrolling through social media on your way to work. A friend who works at your local community centre has recently published a post. You read it.
KnittingGoddess631: "Can you believe this? Arts and Leisure Canada has decided to cut knitting programs for the elderly. I'm shocked. #TypicalFeds"
You are about to share the post on your social media, but you stop and ask yourself: Is this accurate? What if it's not? By sharing this post, am I spreading false information?
Is this false information?
You open a search engine. Then, you type in some information that KnittingGoddess631 shared in her post. Does the story have an online presence? Does Arts and Leisure Canada have an official announcement, web page, or social media post about this? Are reputable news sources discussing this?
You find a few other social media posts discussing the same story. However, they are all from personal accounts. You are unable to find any information on Arts and Leisure Canada's official website or social media accounts. No reputable news sources have written anything about this.
This could be false information.
But did KnittingGoddess631 intend to share false information or not?
Is this misinformation or disinformation? Why does it matter?
There are many definitions of misinformation and disinformation. In the guidebook for public servants, the Government of Canada defines misinformation as "false information that is often shared in good faith and not intended to deceive." On the other hand, disinformation is "deliberately false information that is disseminated to deceive or cause harm." Sometimes, organized groups or states share disinformation through targeted campaigns.
Regardless, both misinformation and disinformation have the potential to cause harm. For example, they can cause doubt, confusion, and frustration. They can lead us to make decisions that are not in our best interest. This can have a negative impact on you, your organization, and the public.
Return to the post above. Consider that KnittingGoddess631:
- is a friend of yours
- really cares about the community
- probably had good intentions
Based on these considerations, do you think KnittingGoddess631 is sharing misinformation or disinformation?
What can I do?
Now that you have reflected on the post, what actions can you take?
- Don't share it: You can slow down or stop the spread of false information. If fewer people engage with it, it has less potential to deceive or cause harm. When engagement stops, the cycle of spreading misinformation or disinformation can end.
- Ask questions: By asking questions, you are prompting the person who shared the post, as well as those engaging with it, to think more critically. It does not need to be public. You can send them a private message. These are some examples of questions you can ask:
- Are you sure that's true?
- Where did you hear that?
- Is that source reliable?
- Correct it: If you can find accurate information from a reliable source, share it. You can even take it a step further and debunk it by saying the information is false and providing evidence to show why.
- Report it: You can report the post on social media platforms. On some platforms, you can click on the three dots and select "Report post." If the post references an organization, you can also report it to them.
Want to know more?
We encounter situations like this every day. As we produce, consume, and disseminate information, we have probably asked ourselves similar questions to those above. Deepening our understanding of misinformation and disinformation can help us better recognize and address them. If you would like to learn more, stay tuned for the upcoming "Untangling Misinformation and Disinformation" course, which will explore topics such as the types of manipulated information, why they exist, and who creates them.
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