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This is part of “Can You Believe It?” a series of stories and resources focused on giving you the tools to fight disinformation heading into Election 2020. You can find 

If you want to navigate disinformation, you’ll have to learn the language. Here’s a guide to some of the jargon you’ll likely hear when people talk about disinformation campaigns.

, “a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing some end.” In the context of disinformation, it’s a set of rules that tell a computer what to do and often refers to rules that govern your social media feeds. Most algorithms use data on how you’ve used those platforms in the past to determine what you’ll see — or not see — in the future.

, such as connecting you with a customer support representative. In the context of disinformation, it’s often used to describe a 

The tendency to favor or interpret information in a way that confirms what we already believe.

A website that creates low-quality content aimed at improving its search engine rankings.

manipulated using artificial intelligence

 to make it appear as if a person said or did something they didn’t. 

Misleading or false information that’s created deliberately and spread strategically to deceive. It can be used to describe government propaganda.

, “an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.” On social media, memes tend to be funny and/or captioned pictures, like this 

. In the context of disinformation, they may be used to mislead or spread false information in a humorous or culturally-relevant way. But they can also 

 when people believe what they’re seeing in a meme to be true.

Misleading or false information spread unwittingly or unintentionally.

Refers to a situation in which emotions and beliefs shape public opinion 

 to find out if a picture has been doctored or is being used out of context.

An online persona or account — sometimes fabricated — that intentionally starts arguments on social media platforms or in internet chat rooms.

Essential tools to fight disinformation

Politics and Government News

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Election 2020

Can You Believe It?

Catharine Richert

Author

If you want to navigate disinformation, you’ll have to learn the language. Here’s a guide to some of the jargon you’ll likely hear when people talk about disinformation campaigns.


A woman looks at social networking applications

How to speak disinformation: A glossary of terms

Go Deeper.

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