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Digital Literacy: Countering Bias, Misinformation and Disinformation (HC)

Digital Literacy Fall 2022

Misinformation and Disinformation

Misinformation is often defined as the sharing of incorrect or incomplete information without any intention to deceive readers.  However, it leads to confusion and a breakdown in public trust.

Disinformation is a deliberate act to spread false information.  It often targets specific groups of people by appealing to stereotypes and biases.  Disinformation spreaders can pose as members of different communities and manipulate content or deceive readers.

Organizations that are directly addressing disinformation issues include:

Fact Checking Sites

Image and Website Verification

Information about Images and sites on the Web are not always available.  Locating the original source of an image will often provide more information. It could also reveal that the image was subsequently manipulated or placed in a false context.  Finding the owner of a website or social media account may shed light on the reliability of content that is available there.  If opinions expressed are at odds with the supposed group or person named on the site as owner, it may be an account that is masquerading  to promote disinformation.

How Do Journalists Find Context for Their Stories?