I am not sure how we got here. That is saying something from a person like me who thinks a lot about data and misinformation and even wrote a book about it with Jeff Camm – Data Duped: How to Avoid Being Hoodwinked by Misinformation. We have been advocating for everyone to build their own type of “data defense” against the misuse of information, but it has become much more than just data literacy. We are at a point where, to quote a recent article, “…it is getting harder to describe the extent to which a meaningful percentage of Americans have disassociated with reality”. To them I say Open Your Eyes!
Open Your Eyes
The phrase may be familiar to you. Often it is when one person has reached the end of their patience trying to change someone’s opinion about something. Exasperated, and exhausted from sharing details, logic and fact, they simply say it, as if they have laid out all of the data and the answer is there – plain, simple, and obvious. Yet it is not so simple.
The fear we have of admitting that something is no longer true, even when it is based on misinformation, can shake the foundation of all our beliefs
Emotions are a powerful thing and they can impact our ability to make clear decisions. We are not always rational as we believe. More importantly people can get stuck on a belief and shifting someone’s position, especially when it is a long-held belief, becomes that much harder. The fear we have of admitting that something is no longer true, even when it is based on misinformation, can shake the foundation of all our beliefs. This can be a devastating feeling, therefore for many it is best to keep the foundation steady, cast out the doubts and cracks in their thinking. Formally this is our confirmation bias in play where we only accept affirming information and discount everything else.
Is That Real?
If we want to see just how far misinformation has taken us away from reality consider the recent misinformation about hurricanes Helene and Milton. These back-to-back storms hit similar areas in Florida and devastated parts of Georgia and North Carolina. It is unusual for storms to hit the same place one after the other, but not impossible.
However, it did not stop people from creating unrealistic stories the storms were created and steered by the government. Further once the storms hit there were social media posts about how federal agencies like FEMA were withholding support and seizing property. Not just a few posts, but some that received millions of views. Some posts were reshared by prominent individuals including current and past members of the Government, adding to their credibility.
The decline of traditional media and the rise of social media along with growing distrust of institutions such as the Government, academics and corporations have all contributed to the misinformation mess.
Does it Make You Angry?
One aspect of our data defense against misinformation includes checking how we feel in the moment when we see online posts. Do they evoke a certain fear, cause feeling of urgency, or make your angry? The combination of misinformation with a sprinkling of truth that can hit you with a sense of rage can derail rational thinking. It might seem easy to cross check the information (like a simple check of FEMA.gov), but who has time for that when this whatever piece of “news” must be shared absolutely right now! This is how misinformation spreads. This is how it can clog the flow of truth.
The tools we learned in school such as basic research, reading references and gathering differing points of view, are not enough and we need to change. We need to adapt to this new normal.
Un-Messing Misinformation
With billions of people voting in elections this year we are seeing a new era of misinformation powered by propaganda-like disinformation and an eroding sense of our own abilities to identify misinformation. Social media and the meddling of others using generative AI are just part of the problem. The tools we learned in school such as basic research, reading references and gathering differing points of view, are not enough and we need to change. We need to adapt to this new normal.
Until then, the next time someone says “Open Your Eyes” consider what we see, read and hear can be cluttered with misinformation. Consider how we could be less angered by social media posts and how that flash of anger is a telltale to deceptive information. Consider what must change to separate the truth from the noise.
About the Author:
Derek W. Gibson is the co-author along with Jeffery D. Camm of the book Data Duped: How to Avoid Being Hoodwinked by Misinformation. It is available from Rowman & Littlefield Publishers here and on Amazon. Learn more at DataDuped.org.
Data Duped 