Misinformation vs Disinformation The Difference is the Intention to deceive. So often we hear “misinformation” and “disinformation” used interchangeably. Is there a difference that matters? Simply put, yes! According to the American Psychological Association (APA), misinformation is defined as inaccurate, false information. Whether the result of sloppy journalism, an honest mistake, or ignorance, facts have been mistated. Disinformation is also sharing or reporting false and inaccurate information, but with the deliberate intent to mislead and deceive. The dissemination of misinformation and disinformation places significant challenges on public health and safety agencies, hinders humanitarian efforts on a global scale, puts in jeopardy important legislation to address collective challenges and societal concerns, and has helped to fuel and/or justify armed conflicts, hate crimes, and injustices around the world. Misinformation and disinformation are largely responsible for creating and then intensifying the deep division that exists within the population, and have contributed to the destablization of powerful democratic governments. With so much at stake, we at OnlyEvidence.NEWS want to help you to become a more discerning consumer of news and information by providing you you with valuable tools and resources. Our mission is to bring “sunlight” to both misinformation and disinformation alike, as each poisons - in its own way - a healthy democracy, and puts at risk the quality of life of all of humanity. It’s time to get to work!

Reputable news organizations aspire to ethical guidelines and standards, including fairness, accuracy and independence. These standards should be available publicly - often in the form of editorial policies or a Code of Ethics. Look for evidence that a source follows such standards.

Quality news sources should be transparent, not only about their reporting practices (see Step 2), but also about their ownership and funding. Is it clear who owns and runs the website or publication? Is advertising labeled responsibly? Can you tell who is writing the content? Is there a way to contact newsroom editors and reporters?

Credible news sources are accountable for mistakes and to correct them. Do you see evidence the source acknowledges then corrects or clarifies errors?

An important step in vetting sources is taking time to read and assess several news articles: Do you see original reporting? Do they provide straight news reports, or just commentary an opinion? Are there grammatical and/or spelling errors? How do news articles from this source compare to coverage from other standard-based newsrooms on the same topic? Many people have strong opinions about news sources without evaluating them first.

Conducting a simple search for information about a news sources is a key first step in evaluating its credibility. It;s important to look beyond social media. Go to a search engine and plug in the name of the website or publication. Do other legitimate sources, such as standards-based news or organizations or fact-checking webistes discribe this publication as unreliable? Satirical? Is it a state-run propaganda “news” site? If so, there’s no need to spend more time vetting. Look elsewhere for reliable information.