EOTO: Misinformation (Fake News)

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If you look back to my first blog post we talked about where we got our news from. But are those sources accurate? Misinformation is false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead. Like the game we used to play as children "telephone". Or when someone started a rumor about you in high school. You never knew how it started but somehow it began to spread like wildfire.  Disinformation however is deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; propaganda. 

Like when people say that Tupac and Biggie are still alive and living it up in Cuba. Or that Jonbenet Ramsey is actually Katy Perry is very wild. It can also be photoshopped pictures to show someone as a traitor to their country. For example making it look like someone is burning the American Flag or trying to say a person hates animals by making them look like they are abusing one to damage their character. 


Lastly we have fake news. Fake news is purposefully crafted, sensational, emotionally charged, misleading or totally fabricated information that mimics the form of mainstream news. There are even games to test your ability to spot fake news.

So what contributes to the spreading of all those key terms mentioned before is confirmation bias. Confirmation bias occurs when people ignore new information that contradicts existing beliefs. Readers see these untrue articles, which align with their biased perspectives, and repost or share them, further spreading the misinformation. With news becoming more digital nowadays people won’t check their sources. They like to trust their sources because they align with their beliefs. Social media companies like Twitter or Tik Tok will then push content that you relate to on your feed or your "For You" page. You as a consumer then like it and you are potentially blocking information true or not that goes against you. Because let's face it no one likes to be wrong and people don't like to admit that they don't know what they are talking about. 

Overall incorrect information can not only get us a bad grade on an assignment but it can even affect us medically. Whether it's a debate about vaccinations or looking up your symptoms on google instead of going to the doctor. So please check your sources online before spreading misinformation. 


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