Misinformation and disinformation
The nutshell
Misinformation and disinformation are both false information. Misinformation is false information that gets shared by mistake. Disinformation is false information that is spread on purpose to trick people.
Every fact on this page comes from Parliament's own researchers, the UK government and independent fact-checkers. Each source tag — like HoC — opens where a fact comes from.
The basics
Two kinds of false information
Misinformation and disinformation are both false information. The difference is intent, which means whether it is shared on purpose. Misinformation is false information shared by mistake. Disinformation is false information spread on purpose to mislead.HoC
A third kind: malinformation
The Government Communication Service, part of the UK civil service, names a third kind calledmalinformation. Malinformation is true information used in a misleading way. All three are sometimes grouped together as MDM, short for misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.GOV
Why false information spreads
False information can spread fast on social media. A single post can reach a huge audience in seconds. Anyone can share something false by mistake, without meaning to mislead. That is what makes misinformation so common, the House of Commons Library notes.HoC
Checking before sharing
Full Fact, an independent fact-checking charity, checks claims made in UK public debate. Full Fact says checking where a claim first came from helps stop false information spreading.FF For elections, the Electoral Commission advises using official sources about how to vote, and says it will correct false information about the voting process quickly and in public.EC
- The main difference is intent. Disinformation is spread on purpose, and misinformation is shared by mistake, according to the House of Commons Library
- The Government Communication Service names a third kind too, malinformation, which is true information used in a misleading way
- Being false is about the facts, not about which side a post supports, so information from any party can be false
- Sharing something false is not always lying. Misinformation is often an honest mistake, the House of Commons Library notes
- A claim can look real and still be false, so the Electoral Commission advises using official sources about how to vote
- Full Fact, an independent fact-checking charity, says checking where a claim first came from helps before sharing it
The deep end6 min
The three terms, defined
The House of Commons Library defines misinformation as false or inaccurate information that is created and spread without meaning to mislead. It defines disinformation as false or manipulated content that is created and spread deliberately. The single feature that separates the two is intent.HoC
The Government Communication Service, the UK civil service's communications team, uses a similar split in its RESIST 3 toolkit. The toolkit calls misinformation verifiably false information shared without an intent to mislead, and disinformation verifiably false information shared with an intent to deceive. It adds a third term, malinformation, for true information that is used in a misleading way.GOV
Why the difference matters
The intent behind false information is hard to prove from a single post. The same false claim can be disinformation when a creator knows it is false, and misinformation when a reader shares it in good faith. For this reason the House of Commons Library treats intent as the dividing line rather than the content itself.HoCThe Government Communication Service notes that when false information is spread by real people in genuine discussion, it is usually not against the law, because exaggeration and rumour are covered by free speech except in specific cases.GOV
False information and elections
The Electoral Commission has published advice for voters on spotting disinformation, together with guidance for campaigners on using generative AI. The Commission advises careful thought about campaign material seen online, and says that if it sees false information about the voting process, such as how or when to vote, it will correct it quickly and in public.EC
Where to check a claim
Full Fact, the UK's independent fact-checking charity, checks claims made in UK public debate and campaigns for stronger protection against false information online.FF Full Fact says bad information can harm people's health and damage democracy, which is why checking a claim against its original source matters before sharing.FF