Misinformation and disinformation
We can often check whether information is wrong without knowing why someone shared it. Being mistaken and trying to deceive people are different things.
Here is how we use these words. Researchers sometimes define them differently.
On this page
Misinformation: wrong or misleading information
On this site, misinformation means false factual information, or information that gives a seriously misleading impression. The word does not assume why it was shared. For example, someone might forward an old flood photo believing it shows yesterday’s flood. The photo can mislead even when the person is sincerely mistaken.
Disinformation: a deliberate attempt to deceive
We use disinformation when information is deliberately used to deceive people. Calling something a lie also claims the speaker knew it was false. A mistake, repeated statement or disagreement is not enough to prove that. If we do not know the intent, we explain what is wrong with the information.
The same claim can be shared for different reasons
Someone might invent a false story on purpose, another person might share it believing it, and a third might quote it to correct it. Those are different actions. Satire, uncertain findings, an idea not yet tested and disagreements about values are not automatically misinformation.
Show what is wrong and how we know. A claim that someone meant to deceive needs its own evidence.
Keep in mind
- These examples explain the words; they are not accusations about real people.
- Knowing who said something does not decide whether it is true.
Why intention needs a separate check
You might establish that a photo has the wrong date without knowing why someone shared it.
Before saying someone deliberately deceived people, identify who acted and what evidence supports that claim. The Council of Europe report linked below includes an intention to cause harm in its definitions. Our use of deliberate deception above is a stated choice, not the only definition researchers use.
Sources you can check
Publication links open in a new tab, so you can keep your place here.
Information Disorder: Toward an interdisciplinary framework for research and policy making (opens in a new tab)
Council of Europe, 2017
Its definitions include intention to cause harm and differ from the site’s definitions. It is a guide to describing information, not a test showing these words improve understanding.
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Detailed research notes and source data
Our longer notes explain how we checked the studies, including disagreements and documents we could not get.
Download the detailed research notes →More research notes: supporting evidence →
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These pages have not completed expert review.
Research checked: . Wording reviewed: 2026-10-07. Version: draft-3.
We revisit the page when new evidence or corrections change the answer. A public history of corrections is not available yet.