The Urgent Need For Digital Literacy To Identify Disinformation

 

Have You Ever Been Misled by Disinformation?




I know I have. And I'm not the only one. I've seen it all, from fake news articles to misleading social media posts. It's gotten to the point where I don't know what to believe anymore. 

The most recent study on disinformation in Zimbabwe was conducted by MISA Zimbabwe in 2020. The study, titled "MISA Zimbabwe Input for Report on Disinformation", found that  WhatsApp is the most popular social media platform in Zimbabwe and that it has been used to spread disinformation about a variety of topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study's findings are consistent with other studies on disinformation in Africa. A 2020 study by the University of Cape Town found that 72% of Africans believe that they have been exposed to fake news. And a 2019 study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that 64% of young Africans believe that fake news is a serious problem.

The spread of disinformation is a serious problem in Zimbabwe and across Africa. It can have a negative impact on people's lives, including their health, their financial security, and their political participation. It is important to be aware of the dangers of disinformation and to take steps to protect yourself from being misled.


That's why I'm writing this blog post. I want to help you learn how to identify disinformation and protect yourself from it.

What is Disinformation?

In the digital age, it is more important than ever to be able to identify disinformation. Disinformation is false or misleading information that is deliberately spread to deceive people. It can have a serious impact on our society, from influencing elections to sowing discord among communities.

One of the best ways to identify disinformation is to be digitally literate. Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information. It also includes the ability to understand the impact of ICTs on society.

There are a number of things that digitally literate people can do to identify disinformation. First, they can be critical consumers of information. This means questioning the source of information, checking the facts, and being aware of common signs of disinformation, such as sensational headlines, logical fallacies, and appeals to emotion.

Second, digitally literate people can use fact-checking websites and resources to verify information. There are a number of websites that specialize in fact-checking, such as ZimFact, FactCheckzw, Snopes, FactCheck.org, and PolitiFact. These websites can help you to determine whether or not an article or news story is accurate.

Third, digitally literate people can be aware of the different ways that disinformation is spread. Disinformation can be spread through social media, email, and even traditional news outlets. It is important to be aware of the different ways that disinformation can be spread so that you can be more critical of the information that you see and hear.

Digital literacy is an essential skill in the 21st century. By being digitally literate, we can help to protect ourselves from the harmful effects of disinformation. We can also help to create a more informed and engaged society.

In addition to the three tips mentioned above, there are a number of other things that people can do to improve their digital literacy and identify disinformation. Here are a few more tips:

  • Be aware of your own biases. Everyone has biases, and these biases can affect how we evaluate information. It is important to be aware of your own biases so that you can be more objective when evaluating information.
  • Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you are not sure about the accuracy of an article or news story, don't be afraid to ask questions. There are a number of people and organizations that can help you to verify information, such as fact-checking websites, librarians, and teachers.
  • Share what you know. If you see disinformation, don't just ignore it. Share it with others so that they can be aware of it as well. You can also report disinformation to fact-checking websites or social media platforms.

How Does Disinformation Spread?

Disinformation can spread through a variety of channels, including:

Social media: Social media platforms are a breeding ground for disinformation. Posts that are shared on social media can reach a large audience very quickly, and it can be difficult to verify the accuracy of the information that is shared on social media.

Email: Email is another common way that disinformation is spread. Phishing emails, which are emails that appear to be from a legitimate source, are often used to spread disinformation.

Websites: Disinformation can also be spread through websites. Fake news websites are often designed to look like legitimate news websites, and they can be very difficult to distinguish from real news websites.

Traditional Media: 


How Can You Protect Yourself from Disinformation?

There are a number of things that you can do to protect yourself from disinformation. Here are a few tips:

Be skeptical of information that you find online. Just because something is on the internet does not mean that it is true. Always check the source of the information, and look for other sources that corroborate it.

Be aware of the different types of disinformation. There are many different ways that disinformation can be spread. Some common methods include:

Fake news: This is false or misleading information that is presented as if it were true news.

Clickbait: This is content that is designed to attract clicks, often by using sensational headlines or misleading images.

Trolls: These are people who post inflammatory or disruptive comments online, often with the intention of provoking others.

Use fact-checking websites. There are a number of websites that can help you to verify the accuracy of information. 
Some popular fact-checking websites you can use:

Zimfact: https://zimfact.org/
Factcheckzw: https://factcheckzw.org/ 
Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/
FactCheck.org: https://www.factcheck.org/
PolitiFact: https://www.politifact.com/

Talk to others. 

If you are unsure about the accuracy of information, talk to someone you trust. This could be a friend, family member, teacher, or librarian.

By following these tips, you can improve your digital literacy and help to protect yourself from disinformation. Disinformation is a serious threat, but it is one that can be overcome with education and awareness.

Disinformation is a serious problem, especially as we approach the 2023 general elections (in Zimbabwe), but it is one that we can overcome. By being aware of disinformation and by taking steps to protect ourselves from it, we can help to make the internet a more reliable and trustworthy source of information.


#disinformation #digitalliteracy #digitalinclusion #digitalinclusion #digitalskills #factchecking #digitalrights #civicparticipation #digitalenvironment #digitalcitizen 

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