University of Kwazulu-Natal

5 Tips For Combating Misinformation Disinformation And Fud

Bonisiwe Shabane
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5 tips for combating misinformation disinformation and fud

EmberOT solves critical infrastructure security challenges by meeting organizations where they are today. Where predecessor solutions are hardware-dependent and cost-prohibitive, EmberOT’s software-based sensors remove those barriers and help organizations monitor and defend their environments NOW while illuminating a path to the FUTURE. How can local government leaders counter the misleading and inaccurate messages that often dominate our information channels, especially after a disaster or when there’s a public health crisis? Explaining the problem and potential solutions, Eileen O’Connor, senior VP for Communications, Policy, and Advocacy, the Rockefeller Foundation, spoke at the National Homeland Security Consortium meeting in January 2024. Factors that have led to an increase in misinformation and disinformation include the ascendency of cable talk shows, new technologies, and the profit motive. The spree of buying and consolidating media outlets by large corporations has driven the effort to increase cash from ads to the bottom line.

It also has led to cost reductions and the elimination of traditional reporting jobs, as well as newspapers themselves and news bureaus for those that remain. Broadcast news field coverage has often been replaced with talking heads and opinion shows for the same reason—it costs less. As more people turn to the Internet for news and information, targeted ads and algorithms have become ways to spread false information or even to recruit terrorists. As a result of all these changes, people are less inclined to trust government and often turn to other sources of information in an emergency. To find those trusted messengers, O’Connor urges leaders to think about who they talk to on a daily basis, noting that it is important to build strong networks with a wide range of people... In an era when AI and ChatGPT are flourishing, the importance of media literacy is growing, she notes.

Insights from PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference. Patrice Smith is a lecturer in the Department of Journalism & Public Relations at California State University, Long Beach. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X. As lies and rumors spread across the internet, the terms “misinformation” and “disinformation” have become part of communicators’ lexicon. Although many professionals and consumers attribute this issue to the advancement of technology such as social and AI tools, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)’s special report, “Tackling Misinformation: The Communications Industry Unites,”... According to the PRSA special report, the terms misinformation, disinformation and malinformation are defined as:

As public relations and communications professionals, we must uphold high ethical standards to effectively combat misinformation by adhering to the PRSA code of ethics. Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Misinformation is nothing new. It has, however, become ubiquitous and, in some cases, more difficult and time-consuming than ever to debunk. When we first started publishing in 2003 — which predated Facebook (2004), YouTube (2005) and Twitter (2006) — viral misinformation took the form of chain emails. Although they were a problem at the time, chain emails were to misinformation what the Pony Express is to ChatGPT.

As the popularity of social media platforms has grown, so too has the scope of viral misinformation and the speed with which it travels. And this falsehood-fraught environment is increasingly where people get their news. In a survey of U.S. adults last year, the Pew Research Center found that “just over half of U.S. adults (54%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media.” AI makes it easier to create disinformation, false or decontextualized content, and to spread it quickly through existing channels.

(Photo: Canva) In an information ecosystem where misinformation circulates faster than fact-checkers can respond, increasingly precise and efficient tools are needed to verify content, detect hoaxes and understand how false narratives spread. The following list brings together five tools that media outlets and fact-checking organizations use for tasks ranging from tracking disinformation and analyzing its dissemination patterns, to recovering deleted content and analyzing audiovisual material. Fact Check Explorer allows users to insert a phrase, piece of data or a link to check if someone has already verified it. (Photo: Screenshot) Google has developed an ecosystem of fact-checking tools, some for fact-checkers specifically and others for the general public.

The flagship tool is Fact Check Explorer, a specialized search engine that compiles claim reviews from multiple fact-checking organizations worldwide, including Chequeado (Argentina), Bolivia Verifica (Bolivia), El Sabueso (Mexico) and Cotejo.info (Venezuela). The Rising Tide of Misinformation: A Challenge for Communicators in the Digital Age In today’s interconnected world, the proliferation of misinformation poses a significant challenge to communicators and the public alike. While technological advancements have undoubtedly accelerated the spread of false information, the root cause lies in human behavior, not technology itself. As the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) emphasizes in its special report, "Tackling Misinformation: The Communications Industry Unites," misinformation is a human issue that predates the digital age and would persist even without... Understanding the nuances of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation is crucial for effectively combating this pervasive problem.

Misinformation, as defined by the PRSA, refers to the unintentional spread of false or inaccurate information by someone who is poorly informed or misinformed. It’s an error, not a malicious act. Disinformation, on the other hand, is the deliberate creation and dissemination of false information with the intent to deceive and cause harm. This is a calculated strategy often employed for political gain, to damage reputations, or to manipulate public opinion. Finally, malinformation involves the use of truthful information that is taken out of context, exaggerated, or manipulated to inflict harm. This might include leaking private information or sharing authentic documents with misleading interpretations.

Recognizing these distinct categories is essential for developing tailored strategies to address the specific nature of the false information. Combating the spread of misinformation requires a multi-pronged approach that begins within organizations. Internal clarity and consistent messaging are paramount. All employees, from top-level executives to entry-level staff, must be on the same page and understand how to communicate key messages accurately. This can be achieved through readily accessible messaging documents and regular training sessions that reinforce key narratives and address potential misconceptions. Furthermore, rigorous fact-checking and source verification are non-negotiable.

The MIT study demonstrating the faster spread of false news on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) underscores the urgency of this practice. Communicators must be meticulous in their research and double-check all information before disseminating it. Reliance on credible sources and a healthy skepticism towards unverified claims are crucial for maintaining accuracy and integrity. By Tiffany Eve Lawrence and Jessica Hicks Most of us spend a good chunk of our day online. It’s where we work, connect with friends, and stay involved in pop culture, news, and politics.

It makes life easier and more enjoyable that we can do so much and get so much out of what we see on the internet and social media — but with that often comes... Not only is it hard to sift through everything we come across online, but it can also be tough to tell what’s true and what’s not. Trying to sort fact from fiction in online spaces can be overwhelming and stressful. The good news is that you can take concrete steps to get better at spotting misinformation and disinformation and feel more comfortable and confident when getting information online or through social media. Being able to identify trusted sources can help you cope with the stress of information overload. And knowing what sources you can rely on can help you make informed decisions about how to take care of your mental health.

Misinformation is inaccurate or false information. Disinformation is also false information, but it’s misleading on purpose. Use these research-based strategies to ensure that truth prevails in your organization. In the spring of 2020, a dangerous threat was making its way around the globe. By March, it was being spread by tens of thousands of hosts per day. Most of its victims, unfortunately, did not realize what they had encountered.

Instead of taking precautions, many went on to become vectors themselves, passing it on and putting others at risk. What was this insidious force? It was misinformation. While misinformation, "fake news," and the "post-truth" era have been buzzwords for several years, the coronavirus pandemic has revealed just how harmful these sources of falsehood can become. After all, the virus and viral misinformation have a symbiotic relationship. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, put it this way: "We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic."

A recent study by Notre Dame faculty in the Center for Network and Data Science found that the outbreak of COVID-19 led to a stunning rise in news articles. In March, when news output on coronavirus peaked, 123,623 articles about the virus appeared in a single day. The research team discovered that less than a quarter (23.6%) of the articles published on the virus came from relatively unbiased sources. The sources that dominate the media landscape were those more likely to spread pseudoscience or even conspiracy theories.

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