How susceptible are you to misinformation? Remember, misinformation is incorrect or misleading information. It differs from disinformation, which is deliberately deceptive and propagated information. Rumors and unsubstantiated “news” that is shared often on social media feeds are the stuff of misinformation.
To find out how easily you can be fooled by misinformation, take the University of Cambridge’s Misinformation Susceptibility Test at this link: https://yourmist.streamlit.app
It takes no more than 5 minutes, and it provides a quick snapshot of your vulnerabilities when it comes to judging information and news. One of the groups most susceptible to mis- and dis-information are youth, especially youth who are online several hours a day.
This website seeks to gamify the learning about critical examination of information and messaging of all kinds, so teens and adults can determine what is in their own best interests, and advocate for themselves and others.
Sources: Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab. (2023). “Creating a Positive Foundation for Greater Civility in Online Spaces Expert Ideas for Technology, Policy, and Education Innovations to Build a More Civil Online Ecosystem for and by Youth.” White paper. https://digitalwellnesslab.org/wp-content/uploads/Digital-Wellness-Lab-White-Paper-Civility-Online.pdf
Maertens, R., Götz, F.M., Golino, H.F. et al. The Misinformation Susceptibility Test (MIST): A psychometrically validated measure of news veracity discernment. Behav Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-023-02124-2
