# Misinformation
False or inaccurate information shared regardless of intent to deceive.
Canonical page: https://givegigs.com/wiki/misinformation
Last updated: 2026-11-09T19:00:07.843Z
Parent topic: [media-and-civic-life](https://givegigs.com/wiki/media-and-civic-life)
## Contents
- [Overview](#wiki-section-overview-1)
- [Check a specific claim](#wiki-section-check-2)
- [When evidence is incomplete](#wiki-section-share-3)
## Overview
Misinformation is false or inaccurate information shared regardless of whether the person sharing it intends to deceive. Disinformation refers to false information deliberately created or shared to mislead. The distinction concerns intent, which is often difficult to establish from a single post; describe the evidence before assigning motive.
Explore related topics:
- [disinformation](https://givegigs.com/wiki/disinformation)
- [media-literacy](https://givegigs.com/wiki/media-literacy)
- [fact-checking](https://givegigs.com/wiki/fact-checking)
## Check a specific claim
Save the exact wording and locate the earliest available source. Check the date, place, and full context; search for primary records or direct statements; and compare reporting from independent outlets. For images or video, look for an earlier appearance and verify that the caption matches what the media actually depicts.
## When evidence is incomplete
A claim can be misleading through a true detail presented without context, a manipulated image, a mistaken translation, or an unsupported leap from correlation to cause. State what is confirmed, what is not yet known, and what evidence would resolve the question. Correct errors visibly and avoid repeating a harmful falsehood more widely than needed to explain the correction.
## Sources
- [UNESCO: Journalism, Fake News and Disinformation](https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/journalism-fake-news-and-disinformation)
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