Untangling the Web
Jonathan Schieman Digital Marketing Specialist , ARTA
Doubt , confusion , polarization , and outrage — these are some of the strongest feelings created by online misinformation , disinformation , and malinformation . And that is the point .
Social media posts , online articles , and fake news websites are created by bad actors in the internet world to leave you feeling confused , unsure , and even possibly scam you out of money or personal information . People and automated systems ( called bots ) are purposely trying to pull you into polarizing arguments and confuse you about news and controversial topics .
If you feel like it is becoming increasingly hard to tell fact from fiction , truth from falsehoods , and genuine people from internet bots and trolls , you are not alone . Statistics Canada reported in 2023 that two in five Canadians feel this way too .
Learning to recognize attempts at misinformation , disinformation , and malinformation are the first steps in protecting yourself and bettering your internet experience .
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