Misinformation and the war in Ukraine
Misinformation and the war in Ukraine
Be alert to disinformation and misinformation
Amid the escalating violence in Ukraine, civilians, including children, have lost their lives and over 4 million people have already fled the country. Many of us are asking how we can help. Firstly, we can take action by supporting the humanitarian efforts on the ground.
We can also help by limiting the spread of harmful misinformation and disinformation about the crisis. False information is circulating, making it harder for people to understand the war and stay safe.
Help stop the spread of misinformation by Pausing, and encouraging others to Pause, before you share.
Disinformation deliberately provokes emotions like fear and anger, which can make us share what we see without verifying it first. This creates waves of misinformation flooding the web.
There is misinformation being shared about the causes of the war and what is happening on the ground. There are images and videos being viewed by millions that are old or misleading, creating a confused picture of what is happening and how people are being affected.
But as we have seen from the COVID crisis – we can all make a difference in the fight against this harmful false information.
When you see a post, Pause before you share or comment. Look for signs of inaccuracy – for example videos without a date or news with no reliable source. Then fact-check the information with reputable news sources.
There are more excellent tips on fact-checking misinformation in this wikiHow guide. Help to stop the spread by sharing this on your social media now.
