Chapter 10: Sources and Research
10.6 Misinformation and Disinformation
Amanda Lloyd
What’s the Difference Between Misinformation and Disinformation?
The difference between misinformation and disinformation is a matter of intent: misinformation is simply inaccurate information, whereas disinformation is intentionally misleading.
When we evaluate sources for credibility, it’s especially important to confirm the validity of web-based sources and resources. Misinformation and disinformation are particularly prevalent on digital platforms where they’re often likely to spread faster than factual reporting.
We’re susceptible to believing and sharing misinformation and disinformation because we tend to unconsciously accept ideas that confirm our worldview, a process known as confirmation bias. Routinely practicing lateral reading can help us to weed out mis- and disinformation before we rely on that material in any way, including using it as a source in an essay.
Lateral Reading
When evaluating the validity of a digital source, fact checkers will employ lateral reading techniques. Lateral reading helps you to verify sources while you’re reading them. Lateral readers open another web-browser tab and visit a trusted website (like Wikipedia) to determine the accuracy of a source they’re currently reading.
Once you have established the validity of a digital source using the lateral reading process, you should then employ rhetorical reading skills to understand both the text and its context before you incorporate it into any assignment. See Section 10.2 to learn more about reading websites and other popular sources.
