Thread by @19thnews

1/ With 6 days until #ElectionDay, let's talk about the disinformation and misinformation hitting our social media feeds this campaign cycle.

What's real? What's fake? And what's at stake for voters?

We turn to the experts: 🧵 bit.ly/2T7iTTx

2/ First, what's the difference between disinformation and misinformation?

📌 Disinformation is the deliberate creation and sharing of information known to be false.

📌 Misinformation is the inadvertent sharing of false information. bit.ly/2T7iTTx

3/ Researcher @cward1e has identified seven types of problematic content in our information ecosystem.

Each type sits on a scale that loosely measures the intent to deceive — from satire or parody to intentionally fabricated content. bit.ly/2T7iTTx

4/ Let's be clear: Disinformation isn't new. Conspiracies have always had a way of finding new audiences.

But the deep anxiety and economic insecurity stemming from this pandemic coupled with a summer of racial protests and unrest have left us especially vulnerable.

5/ One conspiracy theory has been particularly prolific on social platforms: QAnon.

From October 2017 to June 2020, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue recorded

▪️ 69M+ tweets
▪️ 487K Facebook posts
▪️ 281K Instagram posts

mentioning QAnon-related hashtags and phrases.

6/ So, what's QAnon?

▪️Conspiracy alleging an elite cabal of child-traffickers
▪️Began Oct. 2017 when someone identified as "Q" began posting cryptic msgs on 4chan
▪️"Q" claimed to have high-level security clearance + info about Trump's purported "battle against the deep state"

7/ The QAnon conspiracy now spreads anti-vaccine, anti-5G, antisemitic and anti-migrant rhetoric, all in addition to the core belief that a consortium of elites are supposedly trafficking and sacrificing children. bit.ly/2T7iTTx

8/ So how does this work on Instagram?

Earlier this summer, QAnon hijacked #SaveTheChildren, a hashtag related to real anti-human-trafficking causes.

This tactic of co-opting the hashtag helped amplify Q messaging. bit.ly/2T7iTTx

9/ Instagram posts are usually shared by people we trust: friends and family.

"If you trust the person who shared, you are more likely to trust the information."

Regardless of who shared a post, researchers suggest verifying where that social content actually originated.

10/ We're all susceptible to falling for misinformation.

According @BouyguesLee, the more we use social media, the worse our news judgment becomes. Social media users are also not nearly as good at identifying fake news as they believe.

📝 reboot-foundation.org/is-there-a-fak…

11/ What does all of this mean for the #2020Election?

In September, federal intelligence officials warned that foreign actors and cybercriminals are likely to spread disinformation regarding 2020 election results.

📝 ic3.gov/Media/Y2020/PS…

12/ Election officials across the country have taken note.

Colorado is combating false information on social media by buying Google ads to counter misinformation on specific keywords and topics. nytimes.com/2020/10/20/us/…

13/ Social platforms have also taken some steps.

In early October, Facebook said it would remove any Facebook pages, groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon — whether or not they contain violent content. bit.ly/2T7iTTx

14/ But @BouyguesLee says responsibility also falls on citizens to learn better media literacy, use critical thinking and fact-check information more thoroughly.

"We need to be self-aware that we succumb to fake news." bit.ly/2T7iTTx

15/ Remember: mis- and disinformation CAN mislead voters. And we're in a critical time for factual election information.

For more tips on how to identify mis- and disinformation on social platforms, ⬇️ dive into (and SHARE!) @marielpadilla_'s reporting. bit.ly/2T7iTTx

16/16 We've got one more #Election2020 🧵 coming up and it's just in time.

Stay tuned for our #19thExplains on voting. We're bringing you everything you need to know about Election Day and beyond. bit.ly/30Jnjoa