Canvas Content Repository: Evaluating Information: Misinformation and Fact Checking

Understanding Misinformation and Disinformation

Every day, millions of people create and share content online. How much of it is really accurate? The trouble with the digital environment is that it's very easy for context to be taken out of context, which can make facts look like fiction and fiction look like fact.

Here are some key terms to help understand the different types of false information that we see online:

• Misinformation: False information shared by people who believe it is true.
• Disinformation: False information intentionally created to mislead people. (The creators know that it is false.)
• Fake news: Disinformation that is designed to look like real news, often for commercial or political reasons.
  • Note: Some public figures use this term to discredit legitimate sources that they disagree with.
• Satire: A critique in the form of exaggeration or irony, often focused on news or current events. Satire is not meant to mislead, so the creators or site will identify it as satire. If you share it, you should identify it that way, too!

Why It Matters

Intentional or not, sharing false information can have real-world consequences. We all share the responsibility of stopping its spread by being critical consumers of information and checking our sources before we share something online. It's easier than you might think! The strategies outlined in the SIFT method are a great place to start.

Fact Checking

There are multiple tools available to help you check online sources. The VSCS Libraries has a list of fact checking tools on the Misinformation and Fact Checking page in the How to Do Research section of the library website.