Verifying Political Information - Introduction

First, the stakes: How you vote – and whether you vote – are among the most important decisions you make.

Second, because we often have strong feelings about political issues, we’re more vulnerable both to our own biases and to being manipulated by others.

Third, because belief in political misinformation is often connected to misinformation on other topics, such as health and science.

Finally, politics is an area where scammers, hoaxers and manipulators are most active. They know that we’re more likely to listen to and more inclined to seek out information that supports what we already believe, and that even outlandish claims can start to seem believable if they're repeated often enough.[1]

This section will explore how to read election and political news critically, how to recognize misinformation (information that is incorrect) and disinformation (the deliberate spreading of false or misleading information), and how to be a more active and engaged consumer of political news.

 [1] Pereira, A., Harris, E., & Van Bavel, J. J. (2023). Identity concerns drive belief: The impact of partisan identity on the belief and dissemination of true and false news. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 26(1), 24-47.