Findings:
When the word “misinformation” is used, it is a form of invalidation used by politicians and dishonest journalists: LIKELY
- The claim that the word misinformation means “using facts in a misleading way” is incorrect.
- Misinformation is defined by Dictionary.com as: “false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead”
- The difference between misinformation and disinformation is the intent of the writer to mislead the reader.
- Misinformation vs Disinformation:
- Misinformation is accidentally incorrect information.
- Disinformation is intentionally incorrect information.
While many facts are called “misinformation” by dishonest journalists in the media as well as their establishment counterparts in politics, the word means false information that is spread unintentionally. Most journalists and politicians who use this word and its friend “disinformation” tend to lean to the left of the political aisle and use it in order to suppress facts they don’t like spreading.
Examples
Comments made by US President Joe Biden about January 6th claimed that the right was putting out misinformation when it was, in fact, the other way around. As the footage released this year showed us the truth, Joe Biden was clearly the one pushing disinformation.
Joe Biden, U.S. President, on January 20, 2021: “Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson. There is truth and there are lies. Lies told for power and for profit. And each of us has a duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders – leaders who have pledged to honor our Constitution and protect our nation – to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.”
Ironically, Angela Merkel claimed that the internet was full of fake accounts and sites made for “reinforcing opinions” that needed to be countered. Meanwhile, tech giants like Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter manipulated what information could be shared online as well as manipulating search results to influence election results in the US Presidential race.
Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, on November 18, 2016: “Today we have fake sites, bots, trolls — things that regenerate themselves, reinforcing opinions with certain algorithms, and we have to learn to deal with them.”
Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, went on TV and complained that tech giants weren’t doing enough to stop the flow of disinformation online. Only state sponsored disinformation is allowed in Canada. For example, see all the reports from their health department en regards to COVID-19 injections, in which they said it would protect people and not cause any side effects…
Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister, on February 4, 2019: “The platforms are failing their users. And they’re failing our citizens. They have to step up in a major way to counter disinformation. And if they don’t, we will hold them to account and there will be meaningful financial consequences.”
Sources
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/14/business/media/on-tiktok-election-misinformation.html
https://fortune.com/2015/08/23/research-google-rig-election/
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/how-google-could-rig-the-2016-election-121548/
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