Disinformation actors use a variety of techniques to deceive and manipulate people online. This can range from clones of legitimate websites to cleverly manipulated audio or videos (known as 'deepfakes', often created using artificial intelligence), designed to appeal to our emotions and cloud our judgement.The European Commission, together with its partners, has made available some tips and resources to help you avoid falling for disinformation and unintentionally spreading it. They will show you how to recognise disinformation and deepfakes, resist manipulation, and identify trustworthy sources. By following these tips, you will be able to safely navigate the online landscape and make informed decisions about the content you share. How to recognise disinformation Have you ever felt like a trusted media channel is posting something weird or shocking? Disinformation actors often attempt to impersonate the media or institutions to spread harmful messages. This is the typical approach of so-called 'doppelganger' operations which use fake clones of legitimate websites in order to trigger emotions, shock and manipulate the reader. If you see a well-known news source publishing an unusual story online, pay attention to the design of the website, and watch out for unusual URL endings like '.ltd', '.online', or '.foo'. Ask yourself if the website looks authentic. If something doesn’t seem right, double-check what that person or organisation really said. Consult official social media profiles or websites to find out the true story, and stop the disinformation from spreading. How to recognise deepfakes Have you ever seen a celebrity or a politician doing something incredible or shocking on social media? Although it looks convincing, can you be sure it’s the real person? Be careful: deepfake audio and videos can be very hard to recognise, and can be easily made using artificial intelligence. Some of them may seem fun and harmless, but many are designed to manipulate you. Before sharing, make sure to confirm if the author of the content is an official source, check if other sources are reporting on the story, and verify the online profiles of the people involved. Otherwise, you could unintentionally spread disinformation. How to resist manipulation Have you ever felt like the need to instantly react to a post on social media? When you come across videos or news stories that speak to your frustrations, fears or desires, you may feel the need to do something about it. Disinformation actors often take advantage of human nature in order to push you into sharing and reacting quickly. Be wary of content that delights, saddens or appals you, as it might be staged or designed to manipulate you. Protect yourself from manipulation by sticking to reliable news sources. Avoid sharing information from anonymous social media posts, obscure websites, or articles with clickbait titles, like 'You won’t believe what happens next!'. Tips for teachers: How to help your students spot disinformation Teachers play a huge role in ensuring that young people can recognise and push back against disinformation from an early age. To help you instil in your students the skills they need to navigate today's tricky digital landscape, the Commission has created a toolkit. With real-life examples and group exercises, the toolkit will get your students thinking about how online information is presented and what motivations those spreading false or misleading information might have. They will learn about the strategies that disinformation actors use to manipulate their audience, about how they can avoid being deceived, and about how to talk to people who have fallen for disinformation.Access the toolkit Related links European Parliament: 'How disinformation works' video seriesGuidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformationLearn – EUvsDisinfoStrategic communication and tackling disinformation
Have you ever felt like a trusted media channel is posting something weird or shocking? Disinformation actors often attempt to impersonate the media or institutions to spread harmful messages. This is the typical approach of so-called 'doppelganger' operations which use fake clones of legitimate websites in order to trigger emotions, shock and manipulate the reader. If you see a well-known news source publishing an unusual story online, pay attention to the design of the website, and watch out for unusual URL endings like '.ltd', '.online', or '.foo'. Ask yourself if the website looks authentic. If something doesn’t seem right, double-check what that person or organisation really said. Consult official social media profiles or websites to find out the true story, and stop the disinformation from spreading.
Have you ever seen a celebrity or a politician doing something incredible or shocking on social media? Although it looks convincing, can you be sure it’s the real person? Be careful: deepfake audio and videos can be very hard to recognise, and can be easily made using artificial intelligence. Some of them may seem fun and harmless, but many are designed to manipulate you. Before sharing, make sure to confirm if the author of the content is an official source, check if other sources are reporting on the story, and verify the online profiles of the people involved. Otherwise, you could unintentionally spread disinformation.
Have you ever felt like the need to instantly react to a post on social media? When you come across videos or news stories that speak to your frustrations, fears or desires, you may feel the need to do something about it. Disinformation actors often take advantage of human nature in order to push you into sharing and reacting quickly. Be wary of content that delights, saddens or appals you, as it might be staged or designed to manipulate you. Protect yourself from manipulation by sticking to reliable news sources. Avoid sharing information from anonymous social media posts, obscure websites, or articles with clickbait titles, like 'You won’t believe what happens next!'.
Teachers play a huge role in ensuring that young people can recognise and push back against disinformation from an early age. To help you instil in your students the skills they need to navigate today's tricky digital landscape, the Commission has created a toolkit. With real-life examples and group exercises, the toolkit will get your students thinking about how online information is presented and what motivations those spreading false or misleading information might have. They will learn about the strategies that disinformation actors use to manipulate their audience, about how they can avoid being deceived, and about how to talk to people who have fallen for disinformation.Access the toolkit
