We are approaching an important election for American democracy, and the League of Women Voters of Illinois is committed to fighting the onslaught of misinformation and disinformation the public is seeing.
The American people, and especially disenfranchised communities, are constantly bombarded with lies and misleading information about our election system, public policies and government actions. These falsehoods fuel attacks on voting rights and sow distrust in our democratic processes.
In particular, the use of social media as a source for news has allowed misinformation to flourish and spread faster. For example, AI websites may use artificial intelligence to generate content, often apparently without human editorial oversight. In 2023, NewsGuard, an online tool launched to counter misinformation, started identifying these AI websites and found 49. By February 2024, it listed more than 700! NewsGuard’s current tally is 1,075.
Studies show that false information and fake news can spread up to 10 times faster on social media than traditional, fact-based reporting. Misinformation — false information shared without the intent to harm — and disinformation — false information created and shared with harmful intent — can be intentionally exaggerated, featuring lurid headlines or unrelated details designed to draw you in.
The American Psychological Association notes that one factor contributing to an individuals’ willingness to share misinformation is when it elicits strong emotions. It seems today we need our daily dose of pseudo-news outrage along with our morning coffee.
The unfortunate truth is that every time we share misinformation or disinformation online, every time we respond to a fake news post or a story with an emoji or a comment, we are adding fuel to the fire of fake news, by boosting the algorithms that push lies out and sharing the misinformation and disinformation with a larger and larger audience.
We can combat misinformation and disinformation by getting ahead of falsehoods and flooding the public and voters with trusted information that builds confidence about voting and in our elections. We can get ahead of bad messaging by inoculating with good information. As much as possible, spread the right message widely before false accusations can be made.
No one organization can catch everything, and indeed not every piece of misinformation deserves a response. Responses on social media are exactly what bad actors need to achieve their goals.
We also recommend refraining from debate with strangers and chatbots — you’re 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.
We encourage everyone to instead use debunking organizations to report and refute misinformation and disinformation. You can find independent resources on our website at www.lwvil.org/misdis-info.
Here’s how we can combat misinformation and disinformation:
Never quote the bad information. This can’t be said enough. Doing so only helps to spread the bad messages wider, and studies show that repeating bad info, even to debunk it, makes people more likely to remember the bad info and not your good info.
Refer to the bad information without repeating it. Say, “Some bad actors are making false claims about the legitimacy of the 2020 election,” rather than, “Rep. XYZ says that thousands of ballots were stuffed at the election office. This isn’t true.”
Focus on providing the correct information, and if possible, include trustworthy sources for where to learn more.
Inoculation messaging: Think of good information like a vaccine. You want to proactively inoculate against anticipated problematic content before it spreads.The method of showing “myth” vs. “fact” only spreads the “myth” further. Find ways to call out the bad information without repeating it.
Here’s how to spot disinformation online :
Consider the source. Does the URL look strange? Check the “About” page on the website.
Check the date. Is the story old news? Sharing out-of-date information may not match current events.
Cross-check information. Are reputable news sources reporting the same story?
Read past the headline. What’s the whole story? Sometimes a headline doesn’t match the content.
Question emotionally charged content. Disinformation intends to sow division by getting us angry or sad through images or memes.
Here are do’s and don’ts for social media:
Don’t click or share. Treat misinformation and disinformation like a cold or flu bug — don’t share it. Again, if you quote the bad information, you help spread it.
Do share accurate information. Without mentioning the wrong info, set the record straight by sharing the correct messages.
Don’t engage publicly. If someone you know is sharing bad info, message them privately and ask them to take it down.
Do report and block. Report inaccurate info to social media platforms, group administrators and election officials. Block users you don’t know who share misinformation or disinformation.
The League of Women Voters of Illinois has been empowering voters and defending democracy for more than 100 years. Accurate information is a crucial tool in our fight.
Becky Simon is the president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois.
The Sun-Times welcomes letters to the editor and op-eds. See our guidelines.
This op-ed is part of The Democracy Solutions Project, a partnership among WBEZ, the Chicago Sun-Times and the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government. Together, we’re examining critical issues facing our democracy in the run-up to the 2024 elections.