Category: Misinformation 101

This fallacy is sneaky because it “feels” fair (8). But it’s misleading (2,4,5,7,8):

• It gives both arguments the same weight, even when only one is supported by science (read more about the false balance bias – 9). Raw chicken can carry harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter, and the only way to kill it is by cooking the meat thoroughly.
• It assumes that the middle ground is always the best answer – but “a little pink” is still unsafe.
• It ignores the possibility that other, better solutions might exist.
• It can encourage people to present radical or false claims, hoping others will settle on a “reasonable” middle, which would still include misinformation.

Sometimes, finding a compromise is helpful. But when it comes to facts, “meeting in the middle” isn’t always the best – or the most accurate – solution (2,4,5,7,8).

To avoid falling for it (6):

• Ask: Is there evidence for both sides?
• Evaluate each claim on its own, not just where it sits on a spectrum.
• Remember: half-truths can still be harmful.

Truth isn’t always found halfway between two opinions. Sometimes, it’s firmly on one side.

Social Media Bots can be designed for different purposes (2,11,19): 

• Click/Like Farming: Bots boost an account’s popularity by generating fake likes or reposts.
• Hashtag Highjacking: Bots use popular hashtags to spread spam or malicious content.
• Repost Storm: A lead bot shares content, triggering a coordinated reposting attack by a bot network.
• Trend Jacking: Bots exploit trending topics to spread their message or target an audience.
• Astroturfing: Bots can throw their weight behind different issues to artificially inflate the perception of support.

There are detection tools online that can help you identify X bot accounts (e.g. Bot-o-Meter, Twitter Audit, Bot Sentinel) (18).

If you think you have found a bot, report it and block it (20). By reporting bot accounts and removing them from your followers list, you can limit the spread of misinformation, but also potentially boost your account as engagement on your posts will now be more genuine (16). 

Have you spotted bots in the wild? How did you know they were bot accounts? Let us know!

It’s time to burst the (filter) bubble! 🫧

The terms “filter bubble” and “echo chamber” are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same.

Both terms refer to the tendency for your social media feed to show you things that you already like or agree with, instead of things that challenge your existing beliefs (3-7). We get a lot of our information from social media, so being in an isolated information space can make opinions more extreme (4,5) and lower resistance to misinformation (5).

Read on to learn what these terms really mean, and how prevalent they are.

We know, it is impossible to completely escape algorithms. But what we can do is understand how they work and, above all, pay attention to how we interact with them and how they shape your online experience.

Resources

Misinformer Tactic: Stirring Up Emotions | ScienceUpFirst

Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it | ScienceUpFirst

Misinformer Tactic: Astroturfing | ScienceUpFirst