How To Spot Misinformation Online?

Date First Published: 18th June 2023

Topic: Cybersecurity

Subtopic: Threats To Systems, Data & Information

Article Type: Computer Questions & Answers

Difficulty Level: 3/10

Learn about how to spot misinformation online in this article.

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information designed to deceive other people. Since anyone can post something online and there isn't someone who fact-checks everything before it goes on the internet, it is easy to come across misinformation. In fact, it is believed that over half of the information is false or misleading. Just because something has been posted on the internet, doesn't mean that it is true.

Misinformation can be harmful, especially if it is about sensitive topics, like health and finance, which could lead to people making poor decisions if they believe the information. The most well-known form of misinformation is fake news, which are false stories designed to deceive other people. Whilst misinformation can be harmful, it is not always intentional. By spotting and recognising misinformation, you can help avoid spreading it. Below are 10 ways to spot misinformation online in general.

1. Assess The Source Of The Information

The first thing you should assess when deciding whether to trust the information you have read online is the source. If the information comes from a legitimate and well-established website that has been up and running for years, then there is a much lower chance that it is misinformation. For example, if you are reading something from the official NHS website, it is very unlikely that it is misinformation as the information is put on there by experts after reviewing the best available evidence.

On the other hand, if you found the information on a very new website that has only been up and running for a few weeks, it is more likely that it will be misinformation. Sites that spread misinformation are often put up early and rarely stay up for long periods of time because customers start posting negative reviews and they get negative feedback on social media, leading to visitors staying away from the website. For more information about how to tell whether a website is legitimate, see this article.

2. Assess The Author Of The Article

You can find out who posted the information by searching for a display name. Check the author to see the other information they have posted on the website and take a look at their activity and profile. The following signs can indicate that the author you are getting the information from is not reliable:

• Lots of random numbers and letters in the author's username.
• The profile description or account bio doesn't match the author or the information they are sharing.
• The profile or account was very recently created. If it is, it is more likely that it was solely created to spread misinformation. However, a recently created profile or account could just mean that the author is new to the website or platform, so don't rely on the profile or account creation date itself to spot an unreliable author.
• The account only shares unrealistic claims. This is a sign of a fake account.
• The account or profile uses a fake profile picture. If the profile picture doesn't match what the author claims to be or the image comes from another source, like a professional stock photo, it could be a fake account or a bot. It is easy to find out if the profile picture can be found elsewhere. You can use Google reverse image search to find similar pictures to the one they use and find out the source. If the profile picture is real, it is unlikely that it will appear on other sites, except for the author's other profiles. If you can find them elsewhere, check to see if they appear to be the same person. If someone is using pictures of someone else, it is very likely that they are out to spread misinformation.
• The author constantly posts all day. This is a sign of a bot.

3. Assess The Title Of The Article

Another thing that you should assess is the title of the article. The title says a lot about the article. The following signs indicate that the information is more likely to be false or at least a little misleading.

• The title contains lots of spelling and grammatical errors.
• The title doesn't match the content.
• The title is vague and doesn't say anything about the content (e.g. 'Untitled', 'Article 1', 'Document', 'New Page').
• The title uses emotive language to encourage people to click.

4. Consider Whether The Information Sounds Too Good Or Bad To Be True

You should trust your instincts. If the information you have read seems to sound unrealistic, suspicious, absolutely crazy, or very difficult to believe, then it probably is false or misleading. You've probably come across an article that makes claims that seem too good or bad to be true. It could be that someone without much knowledge of the topic rushed to write the article without properly checking the facts or that it is fake and designed to deceive you.

5. Look For Spelling, Grammatical Errors, or Awkward Phrasing

If you notice a large number of spelling and grammatical errors on the website or awkward phrasing, it is more likely to be misinformation. This is because lots of mistakes suggest that the article has been rushed by someone without them properly checking the facts.

6. Look For Emotive Language

Misinformation is often designed to get an emotional response out of you, like causing a lot of anger, worry, or fear. If you spot information that gets a strong emotional reaction out of you, it could be that it is fake and designed to get a reaction out of you. You should watch out for emotionally-charged language designed to convince you into feeling a certain way about the subject. Good-quality and true information will use clear language without sounding overly emotional. Also, be wary if you see any offensive or insulting language.

7. Search For The Information In Other Sources

Try looking up the claim or information on other sources to see if other websites are saying similar things. To do this, you can copy and paste the text into Google. If only one source reports the information and you can't find anything similar to the information that you have read anywhere else, there is a much higher chance that the information is inaccurate or misleading. If you do find the information or claims on other sites, it is less likely to be misinformation, but that doesn't guarantee that it is true information as misinformation can be spread across multiple sites.

8. Look At The Comments Section

If there is a comments section on the article, see what other people say about it. If lots of people say that it is false or inaccurate, then it is most likely misinformation. If lots of people have said that it is true, then it is less likely to be misinformation. This method might not work as not all articles have a comments section.

Be careful when relying on the comments on the website itself to spot misinformation. Scam sites often fill their reviews section with fake positive reviews or comments, made-up names of people, photos from random sources, and text that is copied word-for-word from other websites to trick other people into downloading malware. This is becoming quite common for sites that use WordPress comments or their own comment system. Comments or forums powered by third parties, like YouTube or Disqus, are a better way of getting a clearer idea of what other people think as it is harder to post fake reviews or comments.

9. Look Up The Claim On A Fact-Checker Site

When finding a claim, you can check it on a fact-checker site, like Snopes to see if the claim or news story is supported or flagged as fake. Not every claim has been covered by fact-checking sites, but it is still a good place to check.

10. Consider Whether It Is A Paid-For Or Promotional Piece Of Content

Content that has been paid for or designed to promote other products and services is more likely to be misinformation. This is because writers with little to no knowledge or experience of the topic may have rushed to write it without properly checking the facts so that they could get paid, resulting in the spreading of false or misleading information. The same goes for promotional content. It may be biased and only focused on boosting sales, not providing true information towards a specific topic.

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