From Misinformation to Malinformation: A Practical Guide for Online Readers

Do you ever read something online and wonder, “Is that really true?”

AI, bots, political actors, scammers, hackers and everyday people alike have made information and media literacy more important than ever. Information literacy is knowing why information is needed, knowing how information is produced, knowing how to use information. Media literacy is understanding different types of media (social media, news media, etc) and understanding how information is created, shared and consumed.

When correct information isn’t shared properly, or information is used without good intentions, there are some special terms that we use:

• Misinformation is information that is incorrect and is shared by mistake. Most people see and even share misinformation without knowing the information is incorrect. As an example, you might see something interesting on social media and share it (the ‘share’ button on most social media platforms makes this very easy!), or an interesting website might appear in your results while doing a Google search that you then share with someone.
• Disinformation is information that is incorrect and is shared on purpose. The intent of disinformation is to cause harm. Disinformation might become misinformation when an unsuspecting person sees the incorrect information, doesn’t realize that it is incorrect, and spreads the information without meaning to cause harm.
• Malinformation is correct information that is shared maliciously on purpose. The intent of malinformation is to cause harm. This could include ‘doxing’, hacking or scamming someone’s banking information, or spreading true information online that is hurtful.

An important step in being a good digital citizen and helping to stop the spread of mis-, dis-, and malinformation is to question whether or something is true before sharing information with others. Look to government websites, mainstream media, Wikipedia, official organizations, peer-reviewed journals, and large corporations to find a trustworthy source. You can also try a Google search to see whether the information is shared elsewhere. Sometimes pausing to find another source of information can help to provide another perspective. Talking to someone in person or reaching out to the library can also help you to decide whether you are using a good source for your information, whether the information that you see online is correct, and help you to decide whether the person or organization sharing the information has good intentions.

Join us at our upcoming Media Literacy 101 program to learn more; find more details, as well as a book list and resources below.