Dealing with misinformation
Misinformation can increase during certain times, such as elections and health crises, as people seek to understand and react to rapidly unfolding situations. More recently, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise and has become a sneaky accomplice to mis-, dis-, and mal-information, promoting their viral spread online. Dealing with misinformation involves two key actions:
- learning how to assess and verify what you see
- knowing how to respond when someone else shares something false or misleading.
Tip
Techniques like lateral reading (checking other trusted sources) can take a little extra time, but they are powerful tools for uncovering the truth. While it can be tricky to talk to others about misinformation, especially if they strongly believe it, learning how to respond calmly and respectfully can make a real difference.
Recognise your own bias
It’s important to recognise your own bias, because misinformation and disinformation frequently use emotionally charged language (whether in text or image) to elicit a response – and this means appealing to stereotypes and prejudices.
This is especially important for sources online, which are often driven by algorithms - powered by AI constantly analysing your behaviour to figure out what to show you next - with the intent to increase traffic and engagement. While this can be helpful in some cases, it can also lead to a “filter bubble” where you’re only exposed to information that confirms your pre-existing beliefs. This can make it harder to recognise when something is false or misleading.
Remember that information can be used for similar reasons across all forms of media – whether in print, broadcast, etc.
Your Task
Test your biases to help see whether you're susceptible to misinformation.
Select one of the Implicit Association Tests (IAT) to measure your attitudes and beliefs on a topic.
Tip
Check your feelings. Does something you've read, seen or heard annoy or anger you? If so, you might need to take a closer look and determine why.
Different perspectives and misinformation
Everyone has their own perspectives and confirmation biases. We all use beliefs and values to judge the credibility of information. We’re more likely to judge information as trustworthy when it supports not challenges those beliefs and values.
Click on the plus (+) icons below to discover examples of why people would have different perspectives to others.
Note
Critical thinking and digital literacy can help you look beyond your first impressions and question how your own assumptions might be shaping what you believe. For further information check out the report Online Misinformation in Australia.
Dealing with bias
Dealing with bias is essential in the fight against misinformation because bias doesn’t just shape what we believe it influences what we share and accept from others.
Many rumours and misleading claims thrive because they tap into existing stereotypes and prejudices, reinforcing what feels familiar or socially acceptable. We often go along with these narratives because we want to fit in, avoid conflict, or make sense of complex issues using simple explanations. Sometimes the information comes from people we trust, or it echoes beliefs we already hold, making it harder to question. But recognising this pattern is the first step.
Working on your bias means actively questioning your assumptions, being open to different perspectives, and reflecting on how your background, experiences and social environment shape your understanding. It’s a continual process of awareness and unlearning, one that helps you make more informed, ethical decisions about what information you believe and share.
Conversations with others who believe misinformation
When talking with someone who believes or spreads misinformation, it’s important to recognise that speaking up matters. Misinformation spreads easily when it goes unchallenged, and respectful, thoughtful conversations can play a powerful role in reducing its impact.
While these discussions can be uncomfortable, they also create opportunities for reflection, learning, and even change especially when approached with empathy and understanding. People often believe or share misinformation not out of malice, but because they’re trying to make sense of complex issues or genuinely think they’re helping. Recognising this intent can shift the focus from “winning” the argument to building trust and connection.
Here are a few steps you can take in a conversation:
Stay calm and open
Keep your tone respectful and avoid reacting emotionally, even if the topic feels frustrating.
Listen first
Try to understand their perspective. What concerns do they have? Why does this topic matter to them?
Find common ground
Shared values or experiences can help build connection and make your message more relatable.
Gently share reliable information
Offer evidence from trustworthy sources and suggest exploring it together.
Encourage critical thinking
Ask questions like “Who benefits from this being shared?” or “How do we know this is true?”
Know when to pause
If the conversation becomes tense or unproductive, it’s okay to step away and return to it later.
Alert
What if someone is deliberately spreading misinformation or knowingly sharing false information to influence others or cause harm?
If the behaviour continues or becomes harmful such as spreading health-related lies, hate speech, or inciting fear then it’s appropriate to report it through the relevant platform or authority. Even if the person doesn’t change their mind, your response can signal to others that truth matters and help stop the spread.
Strategies and tools for dealing with misinformation
Now that you have started to develop critical thinking around evaluating information, here are some tools that can assist in the investigation of specific resource types, to see if they contain misinformation.
Lateral reading and cross-checking information is more important than ever, with the increasing use of AI driven technologies and their ability to pollute the information sphere.
Learn how to spot fake news
Here are some things to consider when analysing the news:
- Consider the source: click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission, and its contact information
- Read Beyond: Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?
- Supporting sources: click on those links. Determine if the information given actually supports the story.
- Is it a joke? If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure.
- Check the author: do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?
- Check the date: reposting old news stories doesn't mean they are relevant to current events.
- Check your biases: consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgement
- Ask the Experts: ask a librarian, or consult a fact checking web site
The resources below can help you check whether online claims are accurate — and whether they were created or shared by real people or bots:
News FactChecker Sites
- Reuters
- A regularly updated examination of social media narratives and misinformation by one of the world's largest news organisations.
- Snopes
- Snopes is a fact-checking website that investigates rumours, viral claims, and misinformation across news, social media, and pop culture.
- RMIT ABC Fact Check
- The RMIT ABC Fact Check unit is no longer active, but it still provides useful pointers on sifting through information and claims.
Beware the bots!
Bots are automated accounts that can post, share, and interact with content online — often without people realising they’re not human. Some bots are harmless, but others are designed to spread misinformation, amplify certain views, or make false content seem more popular than it really is.
On top of that, many social media platforms no longer actively fact-check posts, so false information can spread quickly without any warning that it's misleading.
Learn how to spot deep fakes
Deepfakes are videos, images, or audio that have been digitally manipulated — often using AI — to make it look or sound like someone said or did something they never actually did. They're getting more convincing all the time, and not all of them are obvious face swaps anymore.
While deepfakes can be very sophisticated, there may still be a few ‘tells’ to watch for:
- Flickering
- Blurriness on the mouth or face
- Unnatural shadows or light
- Unnatural movements, especially of the mouth, jaw and brow
- A mismatch between skin tone or body type
- Lip sync-like movements
For further information visit the article Don't be duped: Here's how to spot deepfakes by senior communications coordinator Brian Sandalow.
Tools you can try
Drag and drop or upload images to Image Search Sites:
Learn how to spot misused or flawed data
Given the importance of data in research and in our world more generally, it’s critical to be able to evaluate the reliability of data. Below are questions one should always ask when evaluating data:
- How was the data collected?
- What’s in there to learn?
- How reliable is the information?
For more information check out the piece on how to Become Data Literate in 3 Simple Steps by data journalist Nicolas Kayser-Bril.
For further information watch the TED video 3 ways to spot bad statistics by Mona Chalabi.
Visit the article on Misleading Statistics by Bernardita Calzom.
Learn about programs that exist to counter misinformation
There are numerous programs or toolkits available with ideas and suggestions on how to respond to misinformation, and they vary in their approach. You might want to consider some of the follow examples:
Don’t Be Fooled - Sweden’s “Bli inte lurad” initiative reinforces digital literacy with clear and actionable tips to counter mis or disinformation. The toolkit is in English.
The Council of Europe – Intercultural Cities Programme: Anti-rumours website contains various tools that can be used as strategies to defend against or dilute misinformation.
QuoteInvestigator - Did that person really say that? Check how accurate a quote may be.
Learn about organisations that disseminate misinformation
Misinformation is generated by individuals and/or organisations. Sometimes they can be working independently, but many bad actors are operating in coordination.
It is often difficult to identify such groups because they generally operate surreptitiously. However, sometimes these clandestine organisations or their work can be uncovered through the diligence of various investigations.
Research, and reporting from news media (most often independent media), has sometimes helped illuminate organisations that would otherwise stay hidden.
Lateral reading and determining where misinformation comes from can often help make you aware of the activities of these networks.
You may discover that some of these groups are not formally recognized, while others are established and won’t explicitly state the information they produce is intended to mislead or disrupt.
Remember and reflect
Key takeaway
Recognising your own bias or perception of something not only helps you identify misinformation, but how you respond to it – and how you might manage discussions about misinformation with others.
Consider
There are several strategies that can be used when dealing with misinformation, and many tools to help you.
In the short term, continued application of cross-referencing sources and lateral reading is useful to verify dubious information. Long-term strategies such as advocacy, and the further development of media literacy skills, will be vital for countering misinformation.