Limiting the Spread of Misinformation and Disinformation
The first step to limit the spread of election misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation is to know how to spot it. Here are some important questions you can ask yourself before sharing a post or article:
- Am I confident this information is true?
- Do I trust the source of this information?
- Can I find another credible source to verify this information?
- Do the photos or videos associated with it look altered in any way?
Below are some common red flags that can help to identify misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation:
- Using data without citing a source
- Out-of-date articles, photos, or videos that are being presented again out of context
- Doctored images or videos
- Only citing blogs or social media posts
- Trying to evoke an emotional response from the reader (for example: fear, anger, etc.)
- Keeping the author anonymous or using made-up sources
If you believe you may have come across election misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation, contact [email protected] with a link to the post or article. We often contact the original poster and work with them to correct the information, or will attempt to have it removed if a resolution is not attainable. We will also verify for you whether the information is accurate or not.
For more helpful tips on how to spot misinformation and disinformation, visit the Misinformation and Disinformation Tools and Resources page.
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