Misinformation
A collection of short documentaries
- Misinformation appeals to emotion to drive clicks, shares and attitude change. Disinformation and deepfakes scale quickly through ads and recommendation systems.
- Information overload is a disinformation tactic; flooding the zone makes facts feel less usable and identity more important. Trust in media, science and institutions erodes when manipulative content spreads unchecked.
- Social platforms reward fast impulsive reactions, which undermines slow collective judgment – vital for democracy.
- A multilayer defense is needed: inoculation to build resistance, prebunking, real-time fact checks, post-hoc debunks and better platform incentives. Long-term solutions include transparent rules for platforms that protect speech while limiting harm.
Misinformation
Misinformation is designed to provoke emotion and reactions and shape what we share. In this episode of Thinking Matters by EXPeditions, leading scholars explain how falsehoods flood the zone and exploit attention. They show how confusion and identity politics thrive in an age of information abundance and how platforms that reward speed and impulse strain democratic judgment. They explore targeted fake news, deepfakes and the erosion of trust, then outline layered defenses that include inoculation and real-time fact checking. They reflect on our own beliefs as a key tool for resisting polarization. They advocate for implementing smart platform regulation that supports open exchange without censorship. Together they map practical ways to build resilience online.
Featuring Stephan Lewandowsky, Peter Pomerantsev, Jessie Munton, David Runciman, Sander van der Linden and Steve Fleming.
Discover more about
Misinformation
Tackling online disinformation. Shaping Europe Digital's Future. European Commission.
The Everyday Misinformation Project. Leverhulme Trust funded research programme based at Loughborough University.
