University of Kwazulu-Natal

4 Ways To Protect Yourself Against Disinformation Equiterre

Bonisiwe Shabane
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4 ways to protect yourself against disinformation equiterre

News outlets, along with everyone else in the world, are sharing their facts, opinions and advice on COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. With the overwhelming information that’s available, how do you know how to sift through and find only what is accurate and necessary to keep you and your community safe? Arizona State University researchers provide a few quick tips to protect yourself from fake or misleading news during this time. “If it's coming through your Twitter, Facebook or Instagram feed, don't think of it as information from those platforms, because it’s not,” said Scott Ruston, a researcher in ASU’s Global Security Initiative. "Ask yourself, 'Who is this coming from and what is the background?' If the article you read makes accusations, ask yourself, 'Who does this benefit? What’s the underlying source material?' For example, the U.S.

Department of State recently identified disinformation campaigns about the coronavirus in Europe," Ruston said. In those cases, strident claims about dangers to residents were made in order to undermine the government. “When someone asks you where you heard something, if your first inclination is to say Twitter, you need to stop and check because Twitter itself tells you nothing,” said Kristy Roschke, co-director of the... Find out about ten practical steps to identify disinformation, protect those around you and strengthen democratic resilience against manipulation. Disinformation is deliberately manipulated content, spread to deceive or fool an audience and achieve strategic, political, or economic goals. It is often spread by malign actors who aim to undermine trust in democratic institutions or influence elections.Disinformation is dangerous for democracy because it distorts public debate, polarises society and hinders people's ability to...

Here are 10 easy steps you can take to recognise and stop the spread of disinformation: Watch out for headlines designed to generate engagement without regard for accuracy. Look at news content beyond sensational headlines and prioritise substance over sensationalism. One of the best ways of working out whether something is disinformation is by paying attention to the kind of language it uses. Remain cautious of emotionally charged news stories, as they may be part of a foreign interference campaign designed to influence public opinion. Deceptive language and vague assertions are also frequently used to mislead readers.

Look for clear, emotion-free and evidence-based reporting. Includes Resources, Fact-Checking and Talking To Your Children When we can’t agree on what’s true, we can’t agree on anything. That’s why misinformation and disinformation (MDI) is so dangerous for our democracy – and why we all have a duty to combat it. In this guide, you’ll learn all about MDI: what it is, how to recognize it, and what to say to loved ones to keep them from falling for it. What Are Misinformation and Disinformation?

First, let’s define our terms, misinformation and disinformation, often combined into MDI. Based partly on recommendations from the European Parliament, here are some ways you can protect yourself against fake or misleading information. 1) Stay vigilant. Investigate beyond headlines and watch out for sensationalist titles. 2) Pay close attention to language. Is the language biased?

Does it provoke an emotional reaction? Is the reporting evidence-based? 3) Verify the source, including its mission and potential funding streams. 4) Fact-check and cross-check both written information and images and videos. You can use the Panitza Library resources to help you do this. Through our subscriptions, we have access to dozens of reputable news sources online and you can avoid paywalls, while still using your own device.

Contact the library if you need help with this. First, the bad news. No amount of finger-pointing is going to help convince someone who’s fallen into the disinformation trap that they’re wrong. Presenting facts and evidence to counter a lie doesn’t often work, either. Now, the good news: Once you've identified disinformation, there are evidence-based ways to protect yourself and the communities you belong to from disinformation. Using these tips, you can stop disinformation’s spread, minimize its damage, and respond to it effectively.

When you encounter a piece of disinformation, the most important thing you can do is to stop it from spreading.

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