There has always been people who have sought to create and spread information which is not accurate or true.
With AI now able to produce visual, audio and written material that even experts are unable to identify as being AI produced and with the ubiquitous internet now able to spread that widely and instantly the need to be cautious about what we see, hear, read and especially share, has become ever more important.
This has given rise to a range of terms that describe situations we all need to be aware of:
- Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally without the intent to deceive, often due to error, a mistake, or ignorance. E.g. sharing an incorrect statistic without checking the source.
- Disinformation is knowingly false or manipulated information that is deliberately created and spread with the malicious intent to mislead, manipulate, or harm. E.g. using computer software to make a manipulated video having a public figure say something they never said.
To those two we now have a third category:
- Malinformation is usually true, factual information that is spread in a deceitful, manipulative way in order to influence public opinion, obscure the truth or create harm. Publishing the home address of a public figure or sharing a private text message or photo are examples.