Question: How do you identify sources of mis- and disinformation on social media?

 

Answer: 

What are mis- and disinformation?

Misinformation refers to inaccurate or false information, while disinformation refers to false information that is intentionally not true. As the JED Foundation puts it: “misinformation is mistaken info, whereas disinformation is deliberately false.”

Both can frequently be found online when you are directly searching for information or as “recommended” content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

What have other teens shared about their trust in the information they find online?

Previous studies have asked teens about whether they trust information they find online. Teens shared that they generally trust what they see, read, and hear online when the information is distributed through certain people. These include social media influencers they relate to, peers or friends that they know, or people they feel connected to offline. Here is what they said trust looked like for them across three domains:

  • Trust in social media platforms: While teens note coming across “fake news” and health-focused mis/disinformation online, they described that they still trust some social media platforms because the convenience and accessibility of platforms make them appealing.
  • Trust in other users: Teens described trusting celebrities and influencers who seemed authentic, inspirational, and relatable. For transgender youth in particular, trusting health information online from those representing their identities and facing the same challenges was important. To assess whether influencers’ content should be trusted, users:
    • Looked at how posts are interacted with (e.g. number of likes, views, followers) to identify the popularity and legitimacy of the influencer
    • Read through posts’ comments to see what other users think about the influencer and the health information they give
  • Trust in content: Teens trusted social media content that was easy to understand and simple, meaning that it wasn’t too educational or political and that it was unbiased with clear instructions/explanations. If pop-up ads, sponsored content, clickbait, and spam were featured in health-related content, teens were less likely to believe and follow the health guidance at hand.

How can you become a critical consumer of health information online?

  • Approach information online with a critical mindset. Try using these 5 Questions Students Should Ask About Media by Common Sense Media:
    • Who created the message?
    • Why was the message made (inform, educate, entertain us)?
    • Who’s paying for the message?
    • How is the message trying to get my attention?
    • Who’s represented in the message and who’s missing?
  • Look for fishy features that can help distinguish mis/disinformation from trustworthy health information online. Does it contain:
    • Surface features (or how content looks):
      • Disordered or messy layout
      • Misspelled words
    • Semantic features (what is being said):
      • Exaggerated facts
      • Claims of unique or secret information
      • Incomplete information
      • Information that seems written to make you feel strong emotions (like anger, sadness, or fear)
      • Conclusions that are counterintuitive from what you know or from other information in the post
      • Text that doesn’t match the title
    • Source features:
      • With fake authority (credentials that aren’t real)
      • Absence of exact evidence
      • Unidentified sources
      • Data that has been tampered with or altered from the original source

Some of these fishy features may be harder to spot than others but spending a few minutes thinking critically about what you find online can help to ensure that you can trust what you are seeing and hearing and prevent false information from spreading!

References

 

 

Age: 13 - 17

Topics: Misinformation, disinformation, health misinformation, teens, fake news, clickbait

Role: Youth