You’re a key participant in efforts to curb misinformation on-line. John Fedele/The Picture Financial institution through Getty Pictures

Within the runup to the U.S. presidential election there was an unprecedented quantity of misinformation in regards to the voting course of and mail-in ballots. It’s virtually sure that misinformation and disinformation will enhance, together with, importantly, within the aftermath of the election. Misinformation is wrong or deceptive info, and disinformation is misinformation that’s knowingly and intentionally propagated.

Whereas each presidential election is crucial, the stakes really feel notably excessive given the challenges of 2020.

I examine misinformation on-line, and I can warning you in regards to the sort of misinformation you may even see on Tuesday and the times after, and I can give you recommendation about what you are able to do to assist stop its unfold. A quick-moving 24/7 information cycle and social media make it extremely simple to share content material. Listed here are steps you possibly can take to be digital citizen and keep away from inadvertently contributing to the issue.

Election misinformation

Current experiences by disinformation researchers spotlight the potential for an unlimited quantity of deceptive info and disinformation to unfold quickly on Election Day and the times following. Folks spreading disinformation could also be making an attempt to sway the election in some way or just undermine confidence within the election and American democracy normally.

U.S. intelligence companies have reported that the Russian authorities is orchestrating disinformation campaigns aimed on the U.S. elections and pandemic response.

AP Photograph/Pavel Golovkin

This report by the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) particulars narratives meant to delegitimize the election and present how uncertainty creates alternatives for misinformation to flourish.

Specifically, chances are you’ll find yourself seeing deceptive info shared about voting in particular person, mail-in ballots, the day-of voting expertise and the outcomes of the election. You may even see tales on-line circulating about coronavirus outbreaks or infections at polling places, violence or threats of intimidation at polling places, misinformation about when, the place and methods to vote, and tales of voting suppression via lengthy strains at polling stations and other people being turned away.

We seemingly gained’t know the outcomes on Election Day, and this delay is each anticipated and bonafide. There could also be misinformation in regards to the winner of the presidential election and the ultimate counting of ballots, particularly with the rise in mail-in ballots in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Will probably be necessary to know that not each state finalizes their official poll depend on Nov. 3, and there could also be narratives that threaten the legitimacy of the election outcomes, like individuals claiming their vote didn’t get counted or saying they discovered discarded accomplished ballots.

What if the supply of misinformation is … you?

There’s a lot you are able to do to assist scale back the unfold of election misinformation on-line. This will occur each by accident and deliberately, and there are each overseas and home actors who create disinformation campaigns. However in the end, you might have the facility to not share content material.

Sharing mis/disinformation provides it energy. No matter your demographic, you could be inclined to misinformation, and typically particularly focused by disinformation. One of many largest steps you possibly can take to be digital citizen this election season is to not contribute to the sharing of misinformation. This may be surprisingly tough, even with the perfect of intentions.

One sort of misinformation that has been fashionable main as much as the election – and is more likely to stay fashionable – is “good friend of a good friend” claims. These claims are sometimes unverified tales with out attribution which can be rapidly unfold by individuals copy and pasting the identical story throughout their networks.

You may even see these claims as social media statuses like a Fb submit or an Instagram Story, and even as a little bit of textual content forwarded to you in a gaggle chat. They’re usually text-based, with no identify connected to the story, however as an alternative forwarded alongside by a “good friend of a good friend.”

Such a misinformation is fashionable to share as a result of the tales can heart across the good intentions of wanting to tell others, and so they usually present a social context, for instance my good friend’s physician or my brother’s co-worker, that may make the tales appear respectable. Nonetheless, these usually present no precise proof or proof of the declare and shouldn’t be shared, even when you consider the data is beneficial. It could possibly be deceptive.

Easy methods to keep away from spreading misinformation

Many helpful sources can be found about methods to determine misinformation, which may information you on what to share and to not share. You’ll be able to enhance your potential to identify misinformation and study to keep away from being duped by disinformation campaigns.

Suggestions for recognizing misinformation on-line.

A key strategy is the Cease, Examine, Discover and Hint (SIFT) approach, a fact-checking course of developed by digital literacy skilled Mike Caulfield of Washington State College Vancouver.

Following this method, whenever you encounter one thing you need to share on-line, you possibly can cease and examine to see if the web site or supply of the data. Then examine the supply and discover out the place the story is coming from. Then discover trusted protection to see if there’s a consensus amongst media sources in regards to the declare. Lastly, hint claims, quotes and media again to their authentic contexts to see if issues have been taken out of context or manipulated.

Lastly, chances are you’ll need to share your personal expertise with voting this yr on social media. Following the advice of Election Integrity Challenge, it’s a good suggestion to share optimistic experiences about voting. Go forward and share your “I voted” sticker selfie. Sharing tales about how individuals socially distanced and wore masks at polling places can spotlight the optimistic experiences of voting in-person.

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Nonetheless, EIP cautions about posting about detrimental experiences. Whereas detrimental experiences warrant consideration, a heavy give attention to them can stoke emotions of disenfranchisement, which might suppress voter turnout. Additional, when you submit one thing on social media, it may be taken out of context and used to superior narratives that you could be not help.

Most individuals care in regards to the upcoming election and informing individuals of their networks. It’s only pure to need to share necessary and significant details about the election. Nonetheless, I urge you to apply warning in these subsequent few weeks when sharing info on-line. Whereas it’s in all probability not attainable to cease all disinformation at its supply, we the individuals can do our half to cease its unfold.

Kolina Koltai's funding comes from the Middle for an Knowledgeable Public on the College of Washington, the Knight Basis, and The College of Washington's Inhabitants Well being Initiative.