Disinformation, Misinformation, and Malformation- What I Learned

 As consumers of online media and constant sources of information, it is critical that we know how to decipher the information we see. Based on my classmate, Chase Eller's blog and presentation, here is what I learned about disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation. 

Disinformation

Disinformation is defined as false information that is deliberately and often covertly spread to influence public opinion. This type of information is also used by terrorists to spread propaganda in other countries.

Misinformation

This type of information is very similar to disinformation as it is incorrect and misleading. However, misinformation is not spread and posted with malicious intent. This is seen a lot on social media and can be very easy to spread.

Malinformation

The last case of false information to be aware of is malinformation. This uses real life details which are based off facts but then cuts out important pieces of context for the purpose of misleading and manipulating the reader. Slandering and encouraging fake news for the negative effects are big aspects of malinformation we see a lot of today. 

What can we as readers and consumers do to combat this fake information? Firstly, we can fact check it against similar information and articles of the same topic. We can even go right to the source, for example, if we are viewing information on a political figure giving a speech and see that they apparently said something troubling, we can look up and watch the full speech on our own. During big political races, a lot of speeches are taken out of context to make that person look bad. As readers we can also search for opposing views on the same topic and see what lines up as our biases may lead to us believing false information.

We are surrounded by all kinds of information channels such as news, radio, social media, and online web services like Google. It's no wonder we are susceptible to believing everything we see, but we must learn how to combat the constant stream and be critical of our news.