IMAGE: Namibia Fact Check
Following are the definitions of the terms and concepts we often refer to in fact checking and verification
Information disorder
The UNESCO handbook on Journalism, fake news and disinformation broadly refers to information disorder consisting of the creation and spread of misinformation, disinformation and / or malinformation.
To get a deeper understanding of the concept, read Firstdraftnews’ Understanding information disorder.
Information pollution
Dictionary.com defines information pollution as:
Misinformation
The UNESCO handbook on Journalism, fake news and disinformation defines misinformation as “information that is false, but not created with the intention to cause harm and the person who is disseminating it believes that it is true”.
Disinformation
The UNESCO handbook on Journalism, fake news and disinformation defines disinformation as “information that is false, and the person who is disseminating it knows it is false. It is a deliberate, intentional lie, and points to people being actively disinformed by malicious actors”.
Malinformation
The UNESCO handbook on Journalism, fake news and disinformation defines malinformation as “information that is based on reality, but used to inflict harm on a person, organisation or country”.
Information manipulation
The Combating Information Manipulation playbook of the International Republican Institute (IRI) defines information manipulation as “a set of tactics involving the collection and dissemination of information in order to influence or disrupt democratic decision-making”.
Propaganda
The Combating Information Manipulation playbook of the International Republican Institute (IRI) defines propaganda as “information designed to promote a political goal, action or outcome. Propaganda often involves disinformation, but can also make use of facts, stolen information or half-truths to sway individuals. It often makes emotional appeals, rather than focusing on rational thoughts or arguments.”
Fake news
Dictionary.com defines fake news as:
To get a deeper understanding of the concept, read Firstdraftnews’ Fake news. It’s Complicated.