Strategies To Protect Yourself From Misinformation

The following six action steps can help protect you from misinformation and disinformation. It’s probably not surprising that awareness is the first step in protecting yourself. In order to identify misinformation and disinformation, you first need to know what they are and what they might look like: Also of importance is understanding how these falsehoods can become threats to you, both individually and as a member of a larger society. Explore the AVID Open Access article, Understanding the Basics of Misinformation and Disinformation, to learn more. This action item also involves awareness.

If you are aware of how bad actors are trying to draw you in and manipulate you with disinformation, you can be on the lookout for potential deception. If you don’t know what to look for, it’s very difficult to notice misinformation, and it will be much easier to get fooled. To help you and your students develop the skills needed to identify disinformation, the University of Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab has developed an interactive learning experience called Bad News. This game-based activity encourages you to take on the role of a disinformation agent in order to raise awareness of their tactics. 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. Posted June 26, 2024 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma What type of social media user are you? Mindless scroller or in-depth reader? Do you follow a few carefully selected accounts, chosen for their high-quality posts?

Maybe you prefer a more varied newsfeed with posts from lots of different sources—because why wouldn’t you mix funny kitten memes, celebrity gossip, and articles about climate change? Or perhaps your online strategy revolves around following as many other users as possible in the hope that they'd follow you back. After all, this strategy could help to increase your own visibility and reach. Whatever your approach, your interaction with online media will undoubtedly determine what type of information you’re exposed to. At the same time, it is likely to affect your personal susceptibility to misinformation or "fake news". Falling for online fake news remains a worrying trend that can affect people's responses to socio-political challenges such as pandemics.

The number of factors that influence susceptibility to fake news is large and may surprise you. To help categorise these factors and help people consider particular areas of vulnerability, psychologists have proposed a novel framework for online engagement with fake news. According to this framework, there are four separate stages of engagement: (1) source selection, (2) information selection, (3) evaluation and (4) reaction. Source selection: The source selection stage refers to how people create their own online information environment. This might include strategies described in the introduction of this post like the decisions about the number and type of online accounts to follow. To select their sources, people typically consider information or cues that might signal overlapping interests and provide an idea of people's agendas.

This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community; browse through all the posts here. The problem of misinformation isn’t going away. Internet platforms like Facebook and Twitter have taken some steps to curb its spread and say they are working on doing more. But no method yet introduced has been completely successful at removing all misleading content from social media. The best defense, then, is self-defense. Misleading or outright false information — broadly called “misinformation” — can come from websites pretending to be news outlets, political propaganda or “pseudo-profound” reports that seem meaningful but are not.

Disinformation is a type of misinformation that is deliberately generated to maliciously mislead people. Disinformation is intentionally shared, knowing it is false, but misinformation can be shared by people who don’t know it’s not true, especially because people often share links online without thinking. Emerging psychology research has revealed some tactics that can help protect our society from misinformation. Here are seven strategies you can use to avoid being misled, and to prevent yourself – and others – from spreading inaccuracies. In an increasingly interconnected world, the rapid spread of information has become a double-edged sword. While facilitating communication and knowledge sharing, the digital age has also given rise to a pervasive challenge: disinformation.

Defined as deliberately false or misleading information spread with the intent to deceive or manipulate, disinformation poses a significant threat to democratic processes, public health, and societal cohesion. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the European Parliament has outlined ten crucial steps individuals can take to protect themselves and others from the insidious influence of disinformation. These steps, ranging from critical thinking and source verification to media literacy and responsible sharing, provide a comprehensive framework for navigating the complex information landscape and fostering a more resilient and informed society. The first line of defense against disinformation lies in honing one’s critical thinking skills. This involves questioning the information encountered online, considering the source’s credibility and potential biases, and looking for evidence-based arguments rather than emotional appeals. It’s essential to be wary of sensational headlines, overly simplistic explanations, and information that confirms pre-existing beliefs without critical evaluation.

Cross-checking information with reputable fact-checking organizations and seeking diverse perspectives are crucial components of this process. Furthermore, understanding the difference between disinformation (intentionally false) and misinformation (false but not intentionally spread) is key to discerning the nature of the information consumed. Identifying the source of information is paramount in assessing its reliability. Scrutinizing the website or social media profile, checking the author’s credentials and potential conflicts of interest, and looking for transparency regarding funding and ownership are crucial steps. Be wary of anonymous sources, websites with unusual domain names, and content lacking proper attribution. Beware of manipulated media, such as deepfakes, which use artificial intelligence to create realistic but fabricated videos or audio recordings.

Recognizing the hallmarks of disinformation campaigns, such as coordinated inauthentic behavior and the use of bots and trolls to amplify misleading narratives, is also essential. Developing robust media literacy skills is paramount in navigating the digital age. This involves understanding how information is produced, disseminated, and consumed, recognizing the role of algorithms in shaping online experiences, and being aware of the various media formats and their potential for manipulation. Learning to identify different types of bias, such as confirmation bias and negativity bias, is crucial for objective information processing. Engaging in critical analysis of media messages, evaluating the language used, and identifying underlying assumptions or agendas is essential for discerning credible information from misleading narratives. Participating actively in media literacy initiatives and promoting media education within communities are crucial for building collective resilience against disinformation.

Supporting fact-checking organizations, engaging in constructive dialogues about media consumption habits, and sharing media literacy resources with family and friends can foster a more informed and discerning public. Encouraging critical thinking and media analysis in educational settings is essential for equipping future generations with the skills necessary to navigate the complex information environment. In today’s digital age, we’re bombarded with information from countless sources. Unfortunately, not all of this information is accurate. Misinformation, whether intentional or accidental, can spread rapidly online, impacting our decisions and shaping our perspectives. Learning how to identify and protect yourself from misinformation is crucial for navigating the modern information landscape.

This guide provides practical strategies to help you become a more discerning consumer of information. The first step in protecting yourself is learning to recognize potential misinformation. Look out for these red flags: Once you’ve identified potential misinformation, take these steps to verify its accuracy and prevent its spread: By developing a critical mindset and utilizing these strategies, you can effectively protect yourself from the harmful effects of misinformation and contribute to a more informed society. 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. Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Royal Roads University

Researcher, JD Candidate, Royal Roads University Jaigris Hodson receives funding from SSHRC CRC and Connections grant programs. Andrea Galizia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Royal Roads University provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA.

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