How to spot misinformation

Dis-, mis- and mal-information¹ can often be quite compelling, cleverly using pseudo-science to get a point across, or sharing false or misleading information which appeals to genuine concerns or questions people might have. But how is it possible to tell whether something you see or hear is factual or not?

Here we share some simple techniques for critically analysing information to help determine whether or not it is likely to be factual or whether it may be misinformation². These are based on advice from UN Verified and apply not just to weather and climate misinformation, but other topics around which misinformation might spread.

Pause

If you see or hear information that perhaps seems sensationalist, alarmist or highly emotive, pause before sharing. Consider:

• Who shared this information and what might be their reasons for doing so? Are they an expert in the relevant field such as a climate scientist?
• Can you tell the source of the information?
• When was the information published? Is it, for example, from a number of weeks, months or years ago and possibly not current?
• Why might you want to share this information? What is the benefit of sharing it especially if it may not be factual?

Fact check

After your initial scrutiny, it is worth taking a little time to dig deeper into the information.

• Vet the original source - is it reputable and trusted? This could be an academic paper with an expert author published by a reputable journal.
• If it is a media story, evaluate potential bias by checking coverage from different outlets and focusing on the facts rather than how a story is framed.
• Verify online content – is any information left out that can lead to assumptions that may be false?

Resist popular myths

Repetition makes it easier for the brain to process information making it more likely people will believe a statement is true.

• Resist the pull of repetition – are you starting to believe something just because you have seen/heard it multiple times?
• Use reliable fact checkers such as BBC Verify or The Ferret. For common climate misinformation topics, our tackling climate misinformation webpages share evidence-based information.
• Escape the echo chamber. Especially on social media, algorithms make it easy to serve us similar content. Seek out social media accounts with differing backgrounds or points of view and include reputable government sources or experts.

To respond or not?

If you are still unsure about whether information is true or not, think carefully before responding or sharing.

• Commenting will increase the visibility of a post on social media, so respond with caution even to correct misinformation.
• If you do respond, be empathetic and focus on facts rather than attacking views - link to clear, reputable sources of correct information.
• If you have inadvertently spread misinformation yourself, set the record straight and link to correct information.

 

You may also be interested in this article from the BBC, which covers some similar points to the guidance above and also addresses how journalists can tackle climate change disinformation.

 

¹ Disinformation is the deliberate creation and/or sharing of false information with the intention to deceive and mislead audiences. The inadvertent sharing of false information is referred to as misinformation. Malinformation deliberately misleads by twisting the meaning of truthful information.

 

² As it is not always possible to be certain of the intent behind information we see or hear, we use the term misinformation as short-hand for dis-, mis- and mal-information (DMMI).