The proliferation of misinformation and disinformation has emerged as a significant threat to our democratic processes and informed decision-making of the electorate.

We make important decisions based on what we hear on social media and in the news.  When we are unable to distinguish between truth and mis/disinformation, it can cause confusion and misunderstandings, leaving a generalized sense that “you can’t believe anything anymore.” 

Explore this page for specific actions you can take to fight mis- and disinformation

What’s the difference?

Misinformation:
Inadvertently sharing false information without the intent to  harm 

Disinformation:
Intentionally sharing false information with the intent to harm

TAKE ACTION

Report it

Whenever you see disinformation online, report it to us. You can also report most social media posts to the platforms themselves. 

FIGHT DISINFORMATION IN OUR ELECTIONS

As we approach the 2024 Presidential Election, misinformation and disinformation are sowing division and distrust, suppressing voting, and undermining the entire electoral process. Sharing and refuting false information only contributes to the spread!

How can you fight back? Visit our Election Facts Toolkit for accurate voting information to share with everyone you know.

STOP THE SPREAD

When we see or hear mis/disinformation, our first instinct is to argue and present correct information. This is almost always a bad idea, especially online. Why?

Every time you post a comment, or "like" another person's comment, or click the "angry" emoji, you are helping to spread the original post to more and more viewers. Responses on social media are exactly what bad actors need to achieve their goals. 

When you debate online, you are usually debating with strangers and chatbots, and you are not likely to persuade them. In-person discussions can also backfire, especially if they turn into arguments, accusations and anger. It takes preparation, empathy and mutual respect to change someone's mind about misinformation. 

CHECK THE FACTS

News Literacy Project has developed a tool that tracks the topics and tactics of 2024 election misinformation.

Use Election Facts Illinois to fact check 2024 election news! (And check out this quick explainer video of how to use this tool.)

LEARN MORE

Watch Our Speaker Series

How to spot mis/disinformation

We’re all susceptible to mis/disinformation, but the following steps will help you identify it :

1. Research the source: Who’s sharing this information? If it’s online, does the website sound familiar or have any political affiliations? If it’s in-person, does this individual tend to exaggerate, or do they have a job/experience that would give them insider info? 

2. Check the date: It’s easy to get incensed over an article being shared on social media...only to realize it was published years ago and has become irrelevant.

3. Cross-check: Are reliable news sources reporting the same information? If not, it’s unlikely that your smaller source just happened to get a super-exclusive, juicy scoop. 

4. Read past the headline: You know how tabloids post scandalous headlines and follow them with articles that are relatively mundane? Unfortunately, political outlets do that too. It’s easy to take a snippet out of context to make an article look like it will be more dramatic than it actually is. 

5. Question emotionally charged content: Is the person or outlet sharing this information using emotionally manipulative language to get you upset or excited? That’s a red flag. Reliable sources let the facts fuel your response, not emotional language. Check out some examples of loaded language.