How to Spot Bad Information Online
So , how do you spot bad information ? How do you discern misinformative and manipulative messages from more truthful and accurate information on the World Wide Web ? What are the red flags to look for ?
RED FLAG # 1 The posts and messages are trying to trigger a strong emotional response or outrage you in some way . They are usually attacking someone , making polarizing comments , and sometimes even inciting hate and violence .
RED FLAG # 2 The posts are making bold and controversial statements about current news and events . Deep fakes ( fake images or videos made to look like real world celebrities and political figures ) are often used here and tend to link to fake news websites and other malicious internet pages .
RED FLAG # 3 Does the information or title of the article feel a bit clickbait-y ? (“ You ’ ll never guess what this celebrity is using for their new super diet .”) Does the offer seem too good to be true ? (“ You would never believe the returns I got by investing using this app .”) The intent is to incite your curiosity and make you click through to their page , which may be a scam or a malicious site .
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself
The simplest way to protect yourself is to always use your critical thinking . Pause and look at the post or article and ask yourself if it feels like it is trying to mislead you , incite an emotional reaction , or convince you to click to see or buy something .
Consider the source . Have you heard of this person or website before ? Do they have a good reputation ? Don ’ t be afraid to use a search engine like Google or Bing to see what information is out there .
If the post is on social media , see how long the person has been on the platform , if there are typos in their writing , or if they are using recycled or stock images . These are all strong indicators that the author is a bot or an account created specifically to troll and spread bad information .
And lastly : don ’ t reshare these forms of bad information ! Resharing creates what the American Psychological Association refers to as “ the illusory truth effect ,” where repetition of false claims increases the belief in these false claims .
But don ’ t let these bad online actors scare you . The internet still has so much that is wonderful and safe to share ( you can never go wrong with sharing a cute cat video or two ). Keeping a critical eye on what you hear and read , recognizing the red flags , and looking into sources when necessary will help curate your internet experience into the pleasant and entertaining one it is meant to be .
The Government of Canada distinguishes between three types of “ fake news ”:
Misinformation
This includes factual errors , inaccurate reports , and selected half-truths . Misinformation is typically not malicious in intent , though it can still cause harm .
Disinformation
Intended to cause harm , cause damage , manipulate , and guide people / organizations / countries in the wrong direction .
Malinformation
Information that stems from the truth but is highly exaggerated or taken out of context .
Visit bit . ly / CAGovDisinformationTips to learn more . SPRING 2025 | 35