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False Information

Misinformation, disinformation, and deep fakes represent three distinct but related threats in today's information landscape, each carrying serious potential for harm. Understanding the differences between them is essential for anyone navigating digital media and communications.

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About this video

The volume of information available today has made it increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction, and the consequences of failing to do so can be serious. Three key categories define the landscape of false information: misinformation, disinformation, and deep fakes. Each differs in intent and method, but all carry the potential to mislead individuals, damage reputations, and undermine trust in institutions and media. Misinformation is inaccurate information shared without malicious intent — the person spreading it genuinely believes it to be true. Disinformation, by contrast, is deliberately fabricated or distorted content designed to deceive a specific audience for strategic or harmful purposes. Deep fakes represent the most technologically sophisticated form of disinformation, using manipulated audio or video to make it appear as though real individuals have said or done things they never actually did. As these techniques grow more convincing and accessible, the ability to critically evaluate information sources becomes an increasingly important competency for security-aware professionals.

What you'll learn

What's covered

False Information Types

Key terms

Misinformation
False information that is spread unintentionally, where the person sharing it believes it to be true.
Disinformation
False information that is deliberately created and spread with the intent to deceive or mislead others.
Deep Fake
A form of disinformation that uses audio or video media to falsely portray a real person saying or doing something they never said or did.

Topics

Misinformation Disinformation Deep Fakes Social Engineering Digital Media Literacy Cybersecurity Awareness

Transcript

We have a ton of information available to us nowadays, and some of the information is not good information. It's false information. Nowadays, more than ever, we really need to keep on guard for false information. This could come in the form of misinformation, disinformation, or deep fakes.

Misinformation is information that's just been put out there that's wrong. It's unintentionally wrong. Somebody just didn't know better and they put it out there thinking it was the correct information, but it's false information.

There's also disinformation. Disinformation is intentionally misleading — somebody put it out there to trick people, to fool people.

Then there's the next step above that, which is a deep fake. Disinformation is putting information out there that's fake information. But if it's done in an audio or video format to make it really look like it is said or done by somebody who would never say or do those type of things, that's what's called a deep fake.

So false information can cause a lot of problems. Whether it's misinformation where it was unintentional, or intentionally misleading with disinformation, or a deep fake which makes it seem like certain people have said or done things that they really never said or did, it can cause a lot of harm and cause a lot of problems.

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