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Defining misinformation and its forms
Defining misinformation and its forms
Every day, we swim in a churning and turbulent ocean of information. Dubbed the "age of information disorder," misinformation, disinformation and malinformation spread instantaneously online. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of an infodemic or “too much information, including false or misleading information in digital and physical environments.” The WHO further worries that misinformation can have real-world consequences in health crises and disasters, negatively affecting mental health and the provision of health care and relief efforts.
According to a 2024 poll, more than eight in ten Canadians expressed concern about the spread of misinformation and disinformation. While spreading false information is not new, experts worry about the recent explosion of fake material in our public sphere and the organized political agenda increasingly motivating and animating the spread of disinformation, undermining public trust in institutions and even democracy. The arrival of Artificial Intelligence (AI) could compound the problem even further, becoming a “misinformation superspreader,” amplifying the threat to society. Despite sweeping claims about the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation, research published in 2024 concluded that widespread exposure to false information is much smaller than it often gets characterized. The study found that “exposure to false and inflammatory content is concentrated among a narrow fringe” of people motivated to look for this type of information.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) helpfully defines the four forms of misleading, harmful or fake information.
Misinformation
Misinformation
Misinformation: “Information that is false but not created with the intention of causing harm.”
Example: This type of untruthful information can be an innocent mistake. If, for instance, a news report mistakenly says that an event happened on January 14, 1963, instead of the actual date of January 14, 1964, the information is false. Yet, there was no intent to cause harm. It was most likely a mistake. The news outlet likely corrected the mistake and let its audience know with a correction or clarification attached to the news story.
Disinformation
Disinformation
Disinformation: “Information that is false and deliberately created to harm a person, social group, organization or country.” Often, disinformation takes the form of famous conspiracy theories, ranging from the absurd, such as the moon landing being faked, to antisemitic myths about the Holocaust.
Example: A 2022 TikTok video, inspired by a blog called Mouse Trap News, claimed Disney World planned to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18 at the Florida theme park. The dubious video claim captured millions of viewers and even made its way into mainstream news media, further compounding the spread of the disinformation.
Malinformation
Malinformation
Malinformation: “Information that is based on reality, used to inflict harm on a person, social group, organization or country.”
Example: Malinformation often targets an individual, aiming to spread gossip through social media and even traditional news media. It can include phishing, catfishing, doxing, swatting and revenge porn. Doxing, for example, happens when a hacker publishes personal information such as a home address, email or phone number online for malicious purposes.
Fake News
Fake News
Fake news: “An oxymoron which lends itself to undermining the credibility of information which does indeed meet the threshold of verifiability and public interest–i.e. real news.” Fake news has also become an epithet that malicious actors use to discredit the news.
Example: Some politicians disparage and dismiss damaging or disagreeable news, such as scandals or poor polling numbers, as fake news.
Often, people use the term fake news interchangeably with disinformation to describe fabricated news. In this way, fake news is defined as “false stories that appear to be news, spread on the internet or using other media, usually created to influence political views or as a joke.”
Example: The 2016 headline on the satirical website WTOE 5 News screamed, “Pope Francis Shocks World, Endorses Donald Trump for President, Releases Statement.” The supposed news picked up steam when copied by the widespread fake news website Ending the Fed. But the Pope later stressed, “I never say a word about electoral campaigns.”
Remember, UNESCO calls fake news an “oxymoron” or contradiction. For accuracy reasons, experts who study information integrity tend to prefer to use misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.
Video
Video
In this video, you’ll learn about different forms of misinformation: scams, satire, fabrications and distorted content. You’ll see examples of each type.
Test Your Knowledge
Test Your Knowledge
Answer the questions below and when you're ready reveal the answer
What’s the difference between misinformation and disinformation?
Answer: Intent.
Disinformation is “information that is false and deliberately created to harm a person, social group, organization or country.” In contrast, misinformation is “information that is false but not created with the intention of causing harm.”
In a health crisis, what are the potential implications of misinformation or disinformation?
Answer: Vaccine acceptance, mental health and health care delivery
Other Resources and Readings
Other Resources and Readings
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