Making smart choices online 

Not everything you see online is true – or correct. But it can be hard to spot what’s genuine, or know who to listen to. So how do you trust what you see, and make better choices about what to share?  

Lies, misinformation and disinformation 

Sometimes, wrong information is an honest mistake. Like misinformation. But sometimes content is deliberately misleading. That’s called disinformation. 

Misinformation is false, misleading or incorrect information that someone shares unknowingly. It includes things like rumours. Misinformation isn’t intended to harm anyone, although that doesn’t mean it isn’t harmful. 

Disinformation is sharing false information on purpose to deceive or mislead people. The content might be completely made up. Or it might be something that’s been changed to be misleading and promote a particular point of view. Disinformation is dangerous. It is often used to support hateful and harmful views, like misogyny.

How misinformation harms women and girls??  

Misinformation and disinformation can be harmful in lots of ways. It can be a type of gaslighting. And it can be part of a bigger scam. And it’s being used to fuel hatred and harm against women and girls.  

Consuming misleading content online can lead to harm IRL. Sexist and misogynistic content is helping create a culture that excuses and trivialises violence and abuse about women and girls. 

And the more harmful content someone sees, the more they get de-sensitised to it. This can lead to unhealthy behaviours like seeking out more and more extreme content, or even becoming abusive. 

Find out more about misogynistic language and challenging sexism 

Don’t share misleading content – even to warn others 

Sometimes you might want to share misinformation or disinformation as a warning to other people. Or maybe you want to comment and call it out. Even if you’re engaging for good reasons, this can help spread misleading content. 

It can be hard to ignore misleading content, especially if it’s been created to provoke a reaction. But social media algorithms boost content that’s got lots of engagement – it doesn’t matter whether it’s good or bad. 

Algorithms don’t assess content, but you can.  

If you see harmful content, don’t share it. Instead, block and report it.  

What if you’ve already shared it? 

Everyone makes mistakes. If you realise you’ve shared misleading content, don’t panic. Let people know, share the right information if you have it and then move on. 

How to spot misinformation and disinformation 

Disinformation can be very convincing. And clickbait headlines are designed to be, well, clickable.  

So, how can you tell if what you’re seeing online is real or fake?  

Pause and think 

Before you engage or share, take a moment.  

Ask yourself: 

• Does the headline reflect what’s being said, or is it clickbait? 

• Who benefits from you sharing the content?  

• Why is it being shared now?  

• Is there another side to the story?  

Think about where the content has come from. Is it from a reputable site or creator? Do they have knowledge in this area? Are they selling something?  

Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between facts and someone’s opinion. But be confident in questioning what you see and hear. Remember, you don’t have to agree with what someone is saying.  

Pausing and thinking before you click gives you a chance to think critically about what you’re seeing.  

Don’t take it at face value 

Disinformation is intended to deceive people. But not all content is intentionally misleading. Some posts might be a skit or meant as a joke. Or someone might have made a genuine mistake. 

Whatever the case, don’t take things at face value. If anything about the content feels sus then trust your instincts. 

Just because content appears on your feed, doesn’t mean it’s right. Social media algorithms are designed to show you the most popular content. That doesn’t mean it’s the best, or the most accurate. It just means it’s been seen the most.  

Take a deep dive 

Check whether what you’re seeing is true by doing some research. Look online and check multiple sources. Try places like BBC Verify, Snopes or Full Fact – have they written about it?  

If the content includes an image or video, make a reverse image search. Has the image been shared before? Does the information match up? Sometimes images will be shared outside of the original context – saying something is happening that isn’t.  

Deepfakes can be really hard to spot. But check whether anything looks out of place about the image or video. Can you find anything else about it online, or see anything similar?

Think for yourself 

Misinformation and disinformation can be really persuasive. But by thinking critically about what you see and hear, you can make smarter choices online. And by choosing your own path, you’ll be helping create a better, and safer, world for all of us.  

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