Disinformation and Misinformation
Remember the old telephone game? A phrase would be whispered in the ear of one person, and they in turn would pass it on to another person. Then at the end of the line of people, the phrase would be spoken. Errors between speaking and hearing between the players would change the message in sometimes hilarious ways, especially if innuendo was encouraged. This is an example of misinformation in a controlled and fun setting. Many people are confused and don’t understand the difference between disinformation and misinformation.
Understanding misinformation and disinformation is vital to understanding how information propagates online. False information spreads much faster because there is no pause to validate the information and determine truth or falsity. First, let’s understand what misinformation and disinformation are by looking at their definitions.
misinformation
[mis-in-fer-mey-shuhn] noun False information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead: In the chaotic hours after the earthquake, a lot of misinformation was reported in the news.-Dictionary.com
Misinformation can occur in any communication. Misinformation can take the form of errors and incorrect information or gaps in information transmittal. Information that is exaggerated for emphasis can also be considered misinformation. Repeating information without having a sufficient understanding can lead to misinformation. Any incorrect information is a form of misinformation, whether accidental or deliberate. Disinformation, on the other hand, is the deliberate spread of misinformation.
disinformation
[dis-in-fer-mey-shuhn, dis-in-] noun False information, as about a country’s military strength or plans, disseminated by a government or intelligence agency in a hostile act of tactical political subversion: Soviet disinformation drove a wedge between the United States and its Indonesian allies. Deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; propaganda: Special interest groups muddied the waters of the debate, spreading disinformation on social media.-Dictionary.com
As you can see by its definition, governments or other organized groups usually produce and spread disinformation. Disinformation is spread to achieve a military, national, political, or religious goal by manipulating the information that people receive. Disinformation may consist of misinformation, propaganda, lies, and manufactured “news” or realistic fakes such as deepfakes. One of the goals of disinformation is to sway people who may be undecided to the spreader’s side. The use of selected falsehoods may be employed to do this. Another goal is to keep people committed inside an information bubble, so all they see is positive information from the group. Independent investigation is usually derided within the disinformation campaign itself.
Resources
Misinformation and Disinformation by Storyful Intelligence
Misinformation vs Disinformation by Dictionary.com
“Fake News” | Deep Fakes | Information Disorder | Disinformation | Misinformation | Mal-information by Ethical Journalism Network
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