Election Disinformation and Misinformation: A Critical Resource

Election seasons often see a surge in false or misleading information, both intentional and unintentional. Understanding the differences between disinformation and misinformation, as well as recognizing their signs, is essential for navigating election-related content with clarity. Below, we’ll break down these concepts and help you spot them in action.

Disinformation is false information deliberately created to mislead or deceive people. It is often used to push political agendas, disrupt elections, or sow confusion among voters.
Characteristics of Disinformation:

• Intentional Deception: The key difference between disinformation and misinformation is intent. Disinformation is intentionally designed to deceive.
• Political Motives: Disinformation often has a clear agenda—whether to discredit a candidate, spread false rumors, or manipulate voter turnout.
• Use of Emotional Language: Disinformation tends to evoke strong emotional reactions, which can prevent critical thinking. Look for exaggerated claims, overly positive or negative language, and sensationalism.

Example:

During the 2020 U.S. election, a widely shared false claim suggested that mail-in ballots would result in mass voter fraud. Despite no evidence supporting this claim, it was spread to undermine confidence in the electoral process.

Misinformation refers to false or misleading information spread without the intent to deceive. People often share misinformation unknowingly, thinking it’s true.

Characteristics of Misinformation:

• No Intent to Deceive: Misinformation is spread without malicious intent, often by people who believe they are sharing accurate information.
• Shared through Social Media: Misinformation spreads quickly through platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or even private messaging apps, where users share headlines or stories without verifying the content.
• Often Based on Incomplete or Misunderstood Information: Sometimes, misinformation arises from misunderstandings or incomplete knowledge of an issue.

Example:

A false claim about the voting process—such as polls closing earlier than stated—can spread quickly during election day. Someone might genuinely believe they are helping others by spreading this, unaware that the information is inaccurate.