Fake news 101: A guide to help sniff out the truth

Concerns around the proliferation of disinformation and so-called fake news have gained new urgency with the World Health Organization declaring an “infodemic” around COVID-19. Here are some key questions to consider while reading news or social media posts.

What is misinformation vs. disinformation?
Misinformation is information that is misleading or wrong, but not intentionally. It includes everything from a factoid your friend reposted on Facebook to assertions made by officials or, yes, even journalists.

Disinformation is more deliberate and is distributed with the intent to confuse, disturb, or provoke. It also includes plausible information shared through devious means, such as a fake Twitter account; done en masse, this can create a skewed impression of popular opinion. A particularly deceptive form of disinformation are “deepfake” videos, with imperceptible alterations in the footage making it appear that someone said or did something that he or she never said or did.