As much as technology has helped with communication, it also facilitates the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
Misinformation is false or inaccurate information. This does not usually involve malicious intent.
example Spreading made-up rumours about a company or its business practices is a form of misinformation if rumours are spread purely to make fun of a business.
Disinformation is deliberate and includes malicious intent. It spreads fear and suspicion among the population.
example Non-democratic states often spread disinformation in other countries to achieve their goals, to destabilize a democratic system or to just generally spread fear and disorder in a society.
While both misinformation and disinformation are not new, having already been around for centuries, technology enables them to take new forms. Social media and, more generally, the internet helps to spread content that could be considered misinformation and disinformation because of the huge number of users. In addition, new forms of information are also being spread. An example is the use of artificial intelligence to create “deep fakes” where a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else's likeness.
How to deal with misinformation and disinformation
- Check the facts – consider the content, verify who the author and publisher are. Are they trustworthy? Check if the sources have been disclosed and consider if the images seem real
- Think before sharing – consider how the further spreading of the information can impact others
- Report any issues to the platform on which you saw the information - platforms like social media usually have a procedure in place for checking and responding
Freedom of expression is not absolute. In this context, States have a right and an obligation to limit the spread of misinformation and disinformation. However, they still need to ensure that the measures they use are necessary and proportionate.
If you have been personally affected by misinformation or disinformation, read about defamation in this Guide.