Unfortunately, the world is filled with biased, misleading, and incorrect information. A healthy and functional democratic society depends upon a strong foundation of factual information. Luckily, false or misleading reporting often betrays its nature through a few obvious signs that you can learn to spot.
Click each heading below to see an explanation of this type of disinformation.
Those intent on spreading disinformation are experts in human nature! They know that triggering strong emotions will prompt readers to share and spread false or misleading content. Beware of postings that are designed to make you feel angry, outraged, or elicit other strong emotions.
Any online post or news article that makes claims or assertions but does not attribute the information to a reliable source like an academic study or government report should raise suspicion.
Spreaders of disinformation will often share false posts across several social media platforms and then refer to their own posts in an attempt to create the illusion of credibility. For example, a TikTok video or tweet will be shared on Facebook or vice versa.
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