The reactions I received to my last week’s article, ie, “facts vs forwards”, via the various platforms, be it on social media networks or directly from readers, were very interesting. While some agreed on the principle (how misinformation works), especially with the reaction from the society about the tragedy in Al Amerat, others did not necessarily agree (that it is misinformation), which made me think that it is clear that we need more than just awareness of accurate “information” sharing and avoiding misleading/misinformation and the disastrous “disinformation”.
I’ve decided to focus this article on what happens after misinformation spreads and specifically how it shapes public perception, influences trust and sometimes becomes almost impossible to revert or undo per se.
Normally, the misinformation (as defined last week) starts small, from a forwarded message, a screenshot, or a social-media post. But once it spreads, the implications grow fast. People begin to treat rumours (unverified information) as facts (leading to misinformation).
Sympathies or even outrage form around details that might not be true and the emotional weight makes it harder for facts to take hold.
For example, in the few days and weeks following that Al Amerat tragedy, I noticed people sharing their own theories and speculation about the causes. Though none of that information was confirmed by the official media/coverage, yet the speculations stuck in the minds of people (till date, in fact). Some blamed “negligence” and others stated “poisoning”, while a few thought of various explanations which were still unverified.
This pattern, where unverified information and claims go viral, unfortunately leads to a deeper problem, ie, erosion of trust. When people see headlines based on shaky information, they begin to doubt all news, even the verified ones.
And a public that doubts everything becomes vulnerable. Later, when real problems occur, who would take legitimate and official media news seriously? You see where I am coming from. If misinformation teaches us that “everything could be a lie”, then real alerts risk being ignored as a result. This isn’t just about one false message; it’s, in fact, about the shifting baseline of what we consider believable.
Furthermore, misinformation and disinformation don’t just vanish once corrected. Memories remain. Even if a correction appears, many people would still reference the “theories”; the example is in the pudding with the present Al Amerat tragedy. That’s the danger as it becomes part of collective memory and unfortunately shapes gossip, influences opinions and sets precedents for how we interpret future events. Question: what can we do collectively as a society (or individually as a start) to combat misinformation and disinformation?
First, do not share information you receive from unofficial channels/sources (social media networks being prime), especially if something sounds shocking, unbelievable, or too convenient. Second, ensure you verify the source, ie, is it from a trusted organisation
Is it from their official website? And whoever shared the information, are they well-known experts and are they reliable? Also, check the dates of the information shared. Is it old news? Sometimes you will be surprised that despite shared information being legitimate, it is actually old. I have personally noticed that old news, when it resurfaces, spreads quickly as if it happened today. Another thing you could also do is to check multiple credible sources; this will help confirm whether something is real. By following these basic steps, one could verify if information is correct and also combat misinformation and disinformation as a result.
To conclude my article this week, I would like to emphasise that the cost of silence can be as big as the cost of a false message, because when forwards become accepted as fact, the real casualty isn’t just truth but rather our collective trust.
And once that’s lost, rebuilding it takes far more than a correction post. Therefore, working as a collective society, let’s ensure starting today any information we get, we pause, verify and act accordingly. Nothing damages a society like ignorance. Until we catch up again next week, stay informed right away.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
