FYI@Librarian: The difference between misinformation and disinformation

Sunday, November 18, 2018

The difference between misinformation and disinformation

The difference between misinformation and disinformation

It’s easy to think that everyone knows what “fake news” means: Information which may not have a credible source or may be designed to mislead.

But there are two types of fake news and these can cause varying degrees of unpleasant consequences if left unchecked.

The first type of fake news is ‘misinformation’: When people lie or communicate wrong news without realizing it is false. The intent may not be to lie but may rely on the fact that the person actually believes the information to be true.

The other kind of fake news is potentially very dangerous. This is ‘disinformation’, which is knowingly and maliciously spreading wrong information designed to skew people’s opinions on a subject in a certain way.

In today’s highly digitized world, anyone with a phone and a social media platform has an opinion they want to air. Everyday technology is getting cheaper, enabling people to consume and distribute data and information whenever they get their hands on a phone. While digital revolution has made people more informed, it has also made it easier to disseminate information without a thought as to its veracity.