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If you have paid some attention to the international discourse over the last few years, you might have heard the words “misinformation” and “disinformation” thrown around.
Confusingly, the terms are often used interchangeably. But they are different — and the distinction matters. Why? Because understanding that difference is crucial to effectively addressing the unique challenges each one poses.
Read further to find out what are the key differences between misinformation and disinformation, illustrated with real-world examples. We will also share strategies that help individuals and organisations recognise and combat both.
What is misinformation?
Misinformation is simply false or inaccurate information — nothing more, nothing less. In other words, it is just someone getting their facts wrong, which we do all the time.
Examples of misinformation
| Example | Description | Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Misinterpreted grocery store hours | A friend tells you the grocery store opens at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, when it really opens at 8:00 a.m. | This may inconvenience you, but your friend did not intentionally provide false information to harm you or benefit themselves. | General example |
| President Joe Biden’s 2022 gaffe | In 2022, President Joe Biden mistakenly said that he travelled to 54 states rather than 50. | This is just a gaffe, an innocent mistake, without any malicious intent behind it. | The Telegraph |
| COVID-19 and Ibuprofen | During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a widely shared piece of misinformation claimed that taking ibuprofen could worsen the symptoms of COVID-19, initially suggested by French Health Minister Olivier Véran. | Many people believed this information and avoided using ibuprofen, potentially leading to unnecessary pain and discomfort. It was later clarified by WHO and FDA that there was no conclusive evidence supporting the claim. | CBC |
Where does misinformation come from?
Given its unsolicited nature, misinformation can originate from a variety of sources, often without malicious intent.
Most of these sources relate to everyday life, and include mediums such as:
- Social media:
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are primary vehicles for the spread of misinformation. The ease of sharing posts, tweets, and videos allows misinformation to spread rapidly. Algorithms that prioritise engaging content can inadvertently amplify false information, making it all more visible to a larger audience.
- Traditional media:
Even traditional media outlets, such as newspapers, television, and radio, can sometimes propagate misinformation. This has happened and can happen through reporting errors, misinterpretation of data, or over-reliance on unverified sources. In fast-paced news environments, the pressure to publish quickly can lead to mistakes that help spread misinformation.
- Word of mouth:
Misinformation can spread through everyday conversations among friends, family, and colleagues. People often share information they believe to be true without verifying its accuracy. This type of misinformation is usually spread with good intentions, such as wanting to help or inform others.
- Misunderstanding or misinterpretation:
Misinformation can stem from misunderstandings or misinterpretations of complex topics. For example, scientific findings and medical information can be challenging for the general public to interpret accurately, leading to the spread of incorrect conclusions or simplified explanations that are not entirely true.
- Fake cognitive biases:
Human cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias (the tendency to favour information that confirms existing beliefs) and the Dunning-Kruger effect (where individuals with low ability overestimate their knowledge), can contribute to the spread of misinformation. These biases can cause people to accept and share information that aligns with their preconceptions, even if it is false.
- Satire and parody sources:
Satirical news sites and parody accounts can sometimes be mistaken for legitimate news sources. Although the intent behind satire is to entertain or criticise through humour, some individuals may take the information at face value and share it as factual.
- Human errors and typos:
Simple human errors, such as typos or misstatements, can also lead to misinformation. For instance, a typo in a social media post about critical health information can spread rapidly and cause confusion or panic.
Implications of misinformation
While misinformation often sounds innocent, referring to it simply as a mistake can downplay its real potential impact. Even unintentional misinformation can still have significant consequences.
The problem with using the word “misinformation” to refer to innocent mistakes is that it sounds much worse than it is. Why? Because, when someone is accused of spreading misinformation, it sounds ominous — like they are consciously lying — when all they did was get something wrong.
However, relying on bad information can quickly lead to:
- Spreading harmful rumours:
Repeating gossip that a neighbour is a sex offender, for example, can cause significant personal harm to them.
- Misleading the public:
A local official giving the wrong date for Election Day can easily lead to confusion and disenfranchisement.
How can we detect misinformation?
It can be difficult to tell when the information we find is skewed, misleading, or altogether false. Still, detecting misinformation can be achieved using a combination of strategies:
- verifying information through reputable fact-checking websites,
- cross-referencing multiple credible sources, and
- evaluating the expertise (credibility) of the source.
Additionally, checking for citations, and analysing content for emotional language and logical fallacies, can help identify false information. Critical thinking and scepticism are also essential, as is ensuring the authenticity of images and videos using tools like Google Reverse Image Search.
In terms of processing the steps, one could do all of the above manually. However, given the sheer volume of information coming into rotation daily, using digital solutions that trace the origins of information to identify online trolling and misinformation can tremendously speed up that process.
Now, that is all the basic information when it comes to defining misinformation. To correctly assess between mistaken information and deliberately spread fake information, let’s look at what disinformation is next.
What is disinformation?
Disinformation, sometimes called “fake news”, is false or misleading information peddled deliberately to deceive, often in pursuit of an objective.
Examples of disinformation
| Example | Description | Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government propaganda | Governments engaging in propaganda to ensure regime stability or create instability in their adversaries. | The Russian government’s disinformation campaigns in its war on Ukraine aim to influence public opinion, create confusion and mistrust, and exacerbate conflict. | The Guardian |
| The Pentagon Papers | The U.S. government’s disinformation revealed by the leaked Pentagon Papers, which led the United States to wage the Vientam War. | The impact was that the public and the policymakers were misled, leading to prolonged conflict and, after the reveal, loss of trust in the government. | NY Times |
| Pizzagate conspiracy theory | A false conspiracy theory that claimed a child trafficking ring involving prominent Democrats was being run out of a Washington, D.C. pizzeria. | Led to a man entering the pizzeria armed with a rifle and firing shots, causing panic and fear, and damaging the reputations of innocent businesses and individuals. | BBC News, Wikipedia |
Where does disinformation come from?
Unlike misinformation, disinformation is deliberately crafted and spread with the intent to deceive, most often originating from state actors or individuals. However, it is not limited to these sources, and could come from various other malicious origins with specific agendas.
Here are 6 of the most common primary sources of disinformation we have identified so far in our experience:
State actors
Governments and state-sponsored entities are significant sources of disinformation. They often engage in propaganda campaigns to destabilise other nations, influence elections, or maintain internal regime stability.
For example, the Russian government has been known to conduct disinformation campaigns to influence political processes in other countries, such as during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Political groups and organisations
Political parties and organisations may use disinformation to manipulate public opinion, discredit opponents, or push specific agendas. These entities may disseminate false information through various channels to sway voter behaviour and achieve their political goals.
Private companies and communication agencies
Private entities, including strategic communications firms, may create and spread disinformation for financial gain or competitive advantage. These firms often use sophisticated techniques to craft convincing false narratives that serve their clients’ interests.
Individual actors
Individuals with personal agendas, such as activists, conspiracy theorists, or those seeking fame, can also be sources of disinformation. They might spread false information to gain followers, promote a cause, or simply create chaos.
Foreign intelligence agencies
Intelligence agencies from various countries may deploy disinformation as part of their strategic operations to influence global public opinion, disrupt international relations, or undermine rival nations. These agencies often have the resources and expertise to conduct highly effective disinformation campaigns.
Social media
While not a direct source, social media platforms play a critical role in amplifying disinformation. Algorithms designed to prioritise engaging content can inadvertently boost the spread of disinformation. Additionally, these platforms can be manipulated by bots and fake accounts to disseminate false information widely and rapidly.
Implications of disinformation
Disinformation poses serious threats to public trust and societal stability. When false information is deliberately spread, it can create confusion and undermine confidence in public institutions, media, and democratic processes.
For instance, disinformation campaigns can exacerbate political and social polarisation, leading to increased social unrest, political instability, and even violence. Such campaigns often exploit existing societal divides, fuelling mistrust and animosity among different groups.
Additionally, disinformation can have dire consequences for public health and the economy. During health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, disinformation about treatments and vaccines can lead to poor health decisions, reduced vaccine uptake, and higher mortality rates.
Economically, disinformation can affect markets, influence investor decisions, and damage the reputations of companies or entire industries. False information about a company’s financial health or product safety can cause stock market volatility and eroded consumer confidence, leading to significant economic repercussions.
How to detect disinformation?
By calling a piece of information “disinformation,” the accuser is essentially calling the source of the information a liar. Hence, the case with labelling something as “disinformation” should be taken with great caution, as is the case with “misinformation”—neither being a word to throw around lightly.
Nevertheless, if left unchecked, disinformation can cause great harm, undermining trust in public institutions, creating social discord, and worse. Therefore, given the massive amounts of information that is being produced and distributed across nations daily, detecting disinformation is becoming a primary concern for organisations and individuals.
To effectively detect disinformation, a multifaceted approach is necessary, combining technology, critical thinking, and verification techniques. While some aspects of detection can be done manually, leveraging technological assistance can significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of this process.
Here are some key strategies that we recommend:
| Strategy | Description | Examples & Tools |
|---|---|---|
| 🔍 Using fact-checking websites | You can use reputable fact-checking websites to verify the accuracy of information. These platforms investigate claims and provide evidence-based assessments. | Snopes, PolitiFact |
| 🔗 Cross-checking information | Check multiple credible sources to verify information, ensuring consistency and reliability. | Cross-reference large news sources |
| 🏛️ Evaluating the source | Assess the credibility of the source, looking for a history of accurate reporting and transparency. | Look for known authors against social media profiles, reliable news outlets, or academic journals |
| 🧐 Analysing the content | Be extremely cautious of emotional or sensational language. Another tip is to ensure the information is current and relevant. | Check for logical fallacies and outdated information |
| 🤖 Utilising AI tools | Utilise AI-based tools to track the spread of information and identify potential bot activity. Combined with manual approach, that is the best possible strategy. | Consider fake news detection tools, or projects like WASPer |
| 📸 Reverse checking image and video | Use reverse image search tools to verify visual content against deepfakes. | Google Reverse Image Search, TinEye for images, InVID for videos |
| 💡 Applying healthy scepticism | Approach new information with a healthy degree of scepticism, especially if it confirms biases | Always question the intent and validity of the information presented to you |
To sum it up, detecting and combatting disinformation effectively requires a blend between technology and human resources for creating a robust strategy.
AI-based solutions are only part of the solution that offers scalable and efficient methods to detect and counteract disinformation, ensuring the integrity of information in both personal and professional contexts. However, critical evaluation and continuous vigilance are an equally important part of the equation.
For more information on how to implement disinformation detection solutions for your business, feel free to reach out to us.
Misinformation and Disinformation: How do they differ and how to tackle both?
All in all, whether you hear people talk about misinformation or disinformation, a common trait is that both could be far-reaching, from undermining public health efforts and elections to fuelling social unrest and spreading harmful conspiracy theories.
While both forms of false information can manipulate perceptions, influence decisions, and ultimately disrupt the fabric of society, the intent behind the spread of these types of information significantly differs. Therefore, the first step to tackling them is recognising the difference between misinformation and disinformation.
To help you distinguish between disinformation and misinformation, Identrics offers custom AI-based solutions designed to detect and label fake news, disinformation, propaganda, and more. Our advanced technologies can enhance your organisation’s ability to maintain information integrity and combat the spread of false information.
If you are interested in learning more about how our solutions can benefit your business, please contact us for a free consultation.
