{"id":541,"date":"2025-07-24T19:12:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T19:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/csueng100101fall2023\/?post_type=chapter&p=541"},"modified":"2026-03-11T20:07:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T20:07:55","slug":"10-6-misinformation-and-disinformation","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/csueng100101fall2023\/chapter\/10-6-misinformation-and-disinformation\/","title":{"rendered":"10.6 Misinformation and Disinformation"},"content":{"raw":"

What's the Difference Between Misinformation and Disinformation?<\/h2>\r\nThe difference between misinformation and disinformation is a matter of intent: misinformation is simply inaccurate information, whereas disinformation is intentionally misleading.\r\n\r\nWhen we evaluate sources for credibility, it\u2019s especially important to confirm the validity of web-based sources and resources. Misinformation and disinformation are particularly prevalent on digital platforms where they\u2019re often likely to spread faster than factual reporting.\r\n\r\nWe\u2019re 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.\r\n

Lateral Reading<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nWhen evaluating the validity of a digital source, fact checkers will employ lateral reading techniques. Lateral reading helps you to verify sources while you\u2019re reading them. Lateral readers open another web-browser tab and visit a trusted website (like Wikipedia) to determine the accuracy of a source they\u2019re currently reading.\r\n

Video: Sort Fact from Fiction Online with Lateral Reading<\/h3>\r\nThe following video, explains the process of using lateral reading to help you evaluate digital information.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SHNprb2hgzU\r\n\r\n\"Sort Fact from Fiction Online with Lateral Reading\"<\/a><\/span> by Digital Inquiry Group and is used under the Standard YouTube License.\r\n\r\nOnce you have established the validity of a digital source using the lateral reading process, you should then employ\u00a0rhetorical reading skills<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to understand both the text and its context before you incorporate it into any assignment.\u00a0 See Section 10.2<\/a><\/span> to learn more about reading websites and other popular sources.","rendered":"

What’s the Difference Between Misinformation and Disinformation?<\/h2>\n

The difference between misinformation and disinformation is a matter of intent: misinformation is simply inaccurate information, whereas disinformation is intentionally misleading.<\/p>\n

When we evaluate sources for credibility, it\u2019s especially important to confirm the validity of web-based sources and resources. Misinformation and disinformation are particularly prevalent on digital platforms where they\u2019re often likely to spread faster than factual reporting.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n

Lateral Reading<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When evaluating the validity of a digital source, fact checkers will employ lateral reading techniques. Lateral reading helps you to verify sources while you\u2019re reading them. Lateral readers open another web-browser tab and visit a trusted website (like Wikipedia) to determine the accuracy of a source they\u2019re currently reading.<\/p>\n

Video: Sort Fact from Fiction Online with Lateral Reading<\/h3>\n

The following video, explains the process of using lateral reading to help you evaluate digital information.<\/p>\n