• Signtist@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    25
    ·
    3 months ago

    Why look something up when you already know the answer? So long as you make the average person confident enough in their own ability to discern the truth - which isn’t hard, given most people’s desire to feel smart - you can get them to accept an enormous amount of misinformation at face value.

    • Barbarian@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      3 months ago

      I think you’re right, just a small point because you seem to be conflating misinformation and disinformation. It doesn’t matter here because your answer works for both, but they are not the same thing:

      Disinformation: the person spreading it knows it’s not true, is spread for a specific purpose

      Misinformation: the person spreading it thinks it’s true, is spread because people honestly believe it

      Disinformation becomes misinformation as it spreads if successful, as the people hearing it believe it and repeat it.

      • Signtist@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        3 months ago

        Oh, good to know! I hadn’t made that distinction in my mind, but it makes perfect sense. Thanks for setting me straight!