What is misinformation and disinformation? How does it affect our daily lives? Use this guide to learn how to evaluate information found on social media and websites to determine its credibility before sharing or using the content.
Source: Ted Talk from TED.com
CC BY -NC-NC 4.0
Reliable Information: Comes from credible, trustworthy sources and is based in fact and supported by evidence. Intended to inform, not entertain, sell or persuade.
Misinformation: False or inaccurate information that is mistakenly or intentionally created or spread. Not intended to deceive.
Disinformation: False information that is deliberately created and spread in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.
Craig Silverman is a journalist who specializes in studying misinformation and disinformation, especially in social media. In an article he wrote, these quotes should provide food for thought about the information culture in which we live:
Silverman, Craig. “Living in a Sea of False Signals: Are We Being Pushed from ‘Trust, but Verify’ to ‘Verify, Then Trust’?” Nieman Lab, Nieman Foundation at Harvard, 8 Mar. 2018, www.niemanlab.org/2018/03/living-in-a-sea-of-false-signals-are-we-being-pushed-from-trust-but-verify-to-verify-then-trust/.
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