Misinformation & Digital Media
Tell fact from fabrication: how falsehood spreads, and the checks that stop it.
Starter edition · Last reviewed 13 Nov 2026The challenge
False information is not new, but three things are: speed (a claim circles the world before breakfast), polish (AI can now fake voices, faces and documents), and targeting (algorithms show each of us the content most likely to grip us — including the content designed to deceive us).
The defence is not cynicism — believing nothing is just another way of being manipulated. The defence is a small set of verification habits, applied most carefully to the stories that make us angriest or happiest, because those are the ones built to bypass our judgement.
What the evidence says
Practical solutions
- Pause before you share. Emotion is the payload: if a post makes you furious or triumphant, verify it before passing it on.
- Read past the headline — and check the date. Old stories recirculated as new are one of the commonest tricks.
- Find the original source. Who actually reported this first? Follow the claim back to the document, dataset or recording itself.
- Check whether independent outlets agree. Real events are covered by multiple reputable organisations; fabrications live on one screenshot.
- Verify images and video: reverse-image search, look for the original context, and treat celebrity/politician "recordings" with AI-era suspicion.
- Know the fact-checkers: Africa Check, AFP Fact Check, Snopes and your national broadcasters’ verify desks do this work daily.
- Correct yourself publicly when you err. A visible correction builds the trust that misinformation destroys.
Verify a viral claim in five steps (two minutes)
- Stop. Do not share yet. Note exactly what is being claimed, in one sentence.
- Source. Who posted it, who reported it first, and is that source identifiable and accountable?
- Search the claim. Put its key words in a search engine; look for fact-checks and reputable coverage.
- Inspect the evidence. Open the linked article, document or video — does it actually say what the post claims?
- Decide and label. Share only if verified; if unsure, say so or stay silent. Silence is a valid editorial decision.
Test yourself
Questions people ask
What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation?
Misinformation is false content shared without intent to deceive — a mistaken friend. Disinformation is created or spread deliberately to deceive — for money, politics or harm. The verification habits are the same for both.
Can I trust fact-checkers themselves?
Judge them as you would any source: reputable fact-checkers show their evidence, link primary sources, publish corrections and separate fact-checking from opinion. Africa Check and the AFP are good regional examples.
How do I talk with a family member who believes a false story?
With respect and curiosity, not ridicule: ask what convinced them, look at the evidence together, and share your checks as discoveries, not verdicts. Relationships outlast arguments — and ridicule hardens belief.
References
Facts above are labelled with their sources and dates. Where this centre offers guidance, it is educational information to help you decide — not a substitute for advice about your own situation.