How to check for misinformation in the year of elections

Academics from Royal Holloway, University of London, have published a checklist guiding how to check for misinformation and critically evaluate content before accepting it as the truth.

More than two billion voters are expected to head to the polls this year, and misinformation, whether text-based articles or comments or deepfake audios, videos, or images, has been weaving users’ online news and social media consumption.

Named ‘The Misinformation MOT’, the guidance emphasises that individuals must acknowledge and address their own biases, educate themselves on key subjects such as AI, engage in constructive debates within their communities, and verify the credibility of information sources.

Year of elections: a deepfake threat on politics and business

While technologies such as web scraping and AI are being used to detect misinformation, experts advise people to be critical of the information they get online.

Misinformation affects politics and businesses through skewed product reviews, advertisements, brand trustworthiness, and the credibility of AI-generated content.

The Misinformation MOT is as follows:

Check the source — Before trusting a surprising comment or article, look at who posted it and whether the author is credible.

Validate before sharing — The academics enforce intentionality in what information users choose to share and always avoid sharing anything that hasn’t been personally validated.

Use the tools at your disposal — If something seems off or stirs strong emotions, use fact-checking features on media platforms or social media. Academics say this is often a tactic to manipulate a user into impulsively engaging.

Consider your bias — Often, it is easier to disbelieve information that does not correlate to existing beliefs. Consider avoiding relying on and consuming information supporting current views, and diversify sources and news platforms for a more rounded and informed opinion.

Upskill yourself — This year is an opportunity to learn about AI literacy, misinformation, and critical thinking by examining already-identified misinformation to spot the signs.

Get your community MOT’d — Ensure those around you are also up to date with the misinformation rate, share individual views, and discuss issues that are most susceptible to misinformation and limit their ability to influence views.

“Consumers are increasingly exposed to fake reviews and being misled by misinformation and malicious disinformation about products and services,” said Sameer Hosany of the School of Business and Management at Royal Holloway.

“With the prevalence of social media and advancements in AI, it’s increasingly challenging to distinguish truth from fiction,” Hosany added.