05 · Misinformation and Disinformation
Wrong by accident, or wrong on purpose
Misinformation and disinformation both mean sharing misleading content out of context, or
fabricating information outright, to deceive the public and advance a political or corporate
narrative. The distinction between the two is intent: misinformation can spread through honest
error, while disinformation is manufactured or shared knowing it's false.
How it works
Real footage or quotes get lifted out of their original context and re-presented as describing
something they don't. Numbers get invented or altered. Entire events get fabricated. Modern
tools make convincing synthetic images, audio, and video easier to produce than ever, but the
oldest and still most common version is simply an old photo or quote recirculated with a new,
false claim about what it shows.
Why it works on us
Repetition increases how true something feels, even for claims a person initially knew were
false — this is well documented and called the illusory truth effect. Combine that with how
fast content spreads on social platforms, often far outpacing any fact-check, and a false claim
can lodge itself as "something I've definitely heard before" well before anyone corrects it.
Signs to watch for
- A claim spreading quickly with no clear original source you can trace back to.
- A statistic or quote that keeps circulating without ever linking to where it actually came from.
- Content engineered to provoke a strong reaction before you'd have time to verify it.
- An image or clip that looks slightly "off" in lighting, proportion, or audio sync.
- A claim that conveniently confirms exactly what you already believed, with unusually little friction.
Illustrative example
An old photo from an unrelated event recirculated with a new caption claiming it depicts a
current news story — the image is real, but what it's being used to prove is fabricated.