CIVIX Explains: Disinformation

Disinformation is false or misleading information that is shared deliberately to cause harm. Learn about how disinformation producers use knowledge of human emotions and technology to spread disinformation.

[Disinformation]

All false information is pollution.

But while some of it is like litter,

some is more like toxic waste.

It can contaminate the online
environment and poison society.

Disinformation is false
or misleading information

that is spread to deliberately cause harm.

Disinformation can also be used
to create confusion about

if it’s even possible
to know the truth at all.

Those who create and spread disinformation

wish to influence the way
others think and act.

Disinformation can be created
by foreign governments,

domestic organizations,

or groups of individuals.

It might be created to:

discredit a person or their message;

deepen social divisions
by heightening conflict

between those with differing views;

reduce trust in democratic institutions
such as media and government,

as a way to make citizens
feel cynical or apathetic;

promote false conspiracy theories
that question the reality of true events;

or influence the outcome of an election.

Disinformation can start on message boards

where individual "trolls" spread
false rumours about people,

events, and issues using social media,

or can be created in troll factories,

where people are paid to make up articles

that look like real news.

So how does this work?

Disinformation producers know

how to manipulate
both our minds and technology

to help spread false
and misleading information.

Disinformation is designed to
target our emotions,

so we are more vulnerable to accepting it

and sharing it with others.

False stories and claims may also
contain elements of truth

to make the whole thing
seem more believable.

Photos and memes can help
spread disinformation quickly,

because people think
less critically about images

than they do about words.

People can become
targets of disinformation

because of who we are,
or what we believe.

The internet allows messages to
spread far and fast,

especially when you know
how to make content go viral.

On social media,

computer algorithms decide
what users see in their feeds.

These algorithms display
content that is popular.

Disinformation producers can artificially
boost the popularity of an idea

by using bots,

computer programs that post,
like, and share automatically.

Bot accounts can make it look like a lot
of people are talking about something

when they really aren’t.

The idea is to influence a conversation

by promoting certain ideas
or criticizing others.

Once people see, share,
and interact with these fake posts,

they will become popular for real.

Disinformation that is
amplified in this way

can attract the attention
of legitimate news organizations.

Journalists may report on the stories,
spreading them further—

a win for the trolls.

There are many people out there
who want to influence the way you think,

from politicians to advertisers,
to friends and family.

It’s important to know that there are
also organized forces online

who may want to mislead,
confuse, or persuade you

and their motives may not be obvious.

So, what can you do about it?

A good first step is
to evaluate your emotions.

Does a story or post make you feel
outraged, or excited to share it?

That’s a good time to stop
and do a little bit of research.

What is the reputation of the source?

Is the content true or misleading?

What do other sources say?

Stop and check,

so you don’t get fooled.

[Brought to you by CIVIX]

[With the support of Canada]

Subtitles by Claudia Contreras
Review by Carol Wang