The internet is full of grifters, tricksters, and outright liars who rely on people’s basic trust to amplify their message. Know what to look for before you spread their message. Understand the difference between misinformation and disinformation.
Misinformation: Information that is false or misleading, but not created with the intent to cause harm. A person may state something that isn’t true, but they do not know it isn’t true. Disinformation: Information that is intentionally false, and deliberately created to harm and deceive.
Red flags:
- It looks too good, or too bad, to be true
- You have a strong emotional reaction
- You’re going to spend money because of it
- It looks like ragebait: a post designed to get traffic from people’s anger, hyperpartisan appeals that twist the facts, or outright scams.
- Bad actors often twist real events to fit popular narratives, assuming that people will engage more with news they want to believe. Do you immediately want to amplify the story? Watch that it isn’t just confirming your own bias.
Look deeper:
- Do a search to see what other sources are saying
- Check the date of the article; is it still relevant?
- Who’s providing the information?
- Who funds the source of the information?
- Read the ‘About” section of the source website
- Check the url. Example: is it ABCnews.com or ABCNews.com/co?
- Is it a bot? Check the social media profile; does it look off?
- Read more: https://www.theverge.com/21276897/fake-news-facebook-twitter-misinformation-lies-fact-check-how-to-internet-guide?fbclid=IwAR005XpuZGvEImN8cCWonZZlzZA1BTfwkh-7BBPHGvSvrgThbO0FgXNOsGg
Factcheck websites:
- Factcheck.org
- Snopes.com
- Politifact.com
- Google News now has a factcheck sidebar
Don't pour fuel on the fire if a post is wrong. It will only amplify the misinformation. Instead, report any misinformation or disinformation you find.