Media & Information Literacy Grade 6 Misinformation vs Disinformation

Grade 6 Media & Information Literacy Study Guide: Misinformation vs. Disinformation

1. The Driving Question

"If a video goes viral showing a celebrity doing something wild, but it turns out to be fake, how do you know if the person who posted it was just wrong—or if they meant to trick you? And why does it even matter which one it is?"

2. The Core Idea — Built, Not Listed

Imagine you’re at a middle school dance, and someone whispers to you that the DJ is going to play your favorite song next. You get excited and tell your friends—but then the DJ plays something else. The person who told you wasn’t trying to lie; they just heard wrong. That’s misinformation: false or misleading info that spreads by accident.

Now imagine that same person knew the DJ wasn’t going to play your song, but they told you anyway because they wanted to see you get hyped for nothing. That’s disinformation: false info deliberately created to trick people. The difference isn’t just about the facts—it’s about why the wrong info got out there.

Both can cause problems (like starting a rumor that ruins someone’s reputation), but disinformation is harder to stop because it’s designed to spread. Think of it like a virus: misinformation is like catching a cold from a friend who didn’t know they were sick, while disinformation is like someone giving you the cold on purpose.

Key Vocabulary:
- Misinformation
Definition: False or inaccurate information shared without the intent to deceive.
Example: A classmate posts that the school play is canceled because they misread the date on the flyer.
Note: Even if it’s wrong, it’s not always harmful—just incorrect.

• Disinformation
  Definition: False information deliberately created or shared to mislead people.
  Example: A fake screenshot of a teacher’s email saying homework is canceled, made by a student who wants a day off.
  Note: Often used to manipulate opinions, like fake social media accounts spreading lies about a political candidate.

• Bias
  Definition: A preference or prejudice that affects how information is presented or interpreted.
  Example: A news article about a school board meeting only quotes parents who support a new rule, ignoring those who oppose it.
  Note: Bias isn’t always bad (everyone has opinions!), but it can lead to misinformation if it distorts the facts.

• Lateral Reading
  Definition: A fact-checking strategy where you open new tabs to verify information while you’re reading it.
  Example: If a TikTok says a new law bans school lunches, you check the government’s official website instead of just believing the video.
  Note: This is how journalists and researchers avoid falling for false claims.

3. Assessment Translation

How This Appears on State Assessments (Grade 6):
- Multiple Choice: Questions will ask you to identify misinformation vs. disinformation in a scenario (e.g., "A student shares a meme about a teacher quitting, but the meme is edited. Is this misinformation or disinformation?").
- Distractor Patterns:
- Confusing intent with impact (e.g., "It’s misinformation because it hurt the teacher’s feelings").
- Assuming all false info is disinformation (e.g., "It’s disinformation because it’s fake").
- Short Constructed Response: You might get a social media post or news headline and be asked to explain how you’d verify it (e.g., "Describe two steps you’d take to check if this claim is true").
- Evidence-Based Writing: A longer prompt might ask you to analyze a real-world example (e.g., "Read this article about a viral hoax. Is this misinformation or disinformation? Use evidence from the text to support your answer").

What a Proficient Response Looks Like:
Prompt: "A YouTube video claims that a new app is secretly recording students through their laptop cameras. The video has over 1 million views. Is this more likely misinformation or disinformation? Explain your answer using evidence."

Proficient Response: "This is probably misinformation because the video doesn’t show proof, like a real expert or a tech company statement. The person who made it might have just heard a rumor and assumed it was true. But it could be disinformation if the creator knew it was false and wanted to scare people into uninstalling the app. To check, I’d look for official sources, like the app’s website or a fact-checking site like Snopes. If the app’s creators say it’s safe, that would support misinformation. If the video’s creator has a history of making fake claims, that might point to disinformation."

What the Teacher Looks For: - Clear distinction between misinformation and disinformation (intent matters!).
- Evidence from the scenario (e.g., "no proof," "over 1 million views").
- Next steps for verification (e.g., "check Snopes," "look for official sources").

4. Mistake Taxonomy

Mistake 1: Assuming All False Info Is Disinformation
Prompt: "A friend texts you that the school is giving out free pizza at lunch today. You get to the cafeteria, and there’s no pizza. Is this misinformation or disinformation?" Common Wrong Answer: "Disinformation, because my friend lied to me." Why It Loses Credit: The student ignores intent. Unless the friend knew there was no pizza and tricked you on purpose, it’s misinformation.
Correct Approach: - Ask: Did the person know it was false when they shared it? - If no (they just heard wrong), it’s misinformation.
- If yes (they wanted to mess with you), it’s disinformation.
- In this case: Probably misinformation—your friend just got the info wrong.

Mistake 2: Forgetting to Check the Source
Prompt: "You see a headline: ‘Scientists Prove Homework Is Useless.’ How would you verify this claim?" Common Wrong Answer: "I’d ask my teacher if it’s true." Why It Loses Credit: The student relies on one source (the teacher) instead of cross-checking. Lateral reading means using multiple trusted sources.
Correct Approach: 1. Check the original study (not just the headline). Is it from a real university or a random blog? 2. Look for other news outlets reporting on it. Do they all say the same thing? 3. Search for fact-checks (e.g., "homework study Snopes").
4. If the only "proof" is a meme or a viral tweet, it’s likely false.

Mistake 3: Confusing Bias with Misinformation
Prompt: "A news article about a school fundraiser only interviews parents who donated money. Is this misinformation?" Common Wrong Answer: "Yes, because it’s not telling the whole story." Why It Loses Credit: The student mixes up bias (leaving out perspectives) with misinformation (false facts). The article might be biased, but it’s not necessarily false.
Correct Approach: - Bias = unfairly favoring one side (e.g., only interviewing donors).
- Misinformation = false facts (e.g., saying the fundraiser raised $10,000 when it really raised $5,000).
- In this case: It’s bias, not misinformation. The facts might still be true, but the article is one-sided.

5. Connection Layer

Within Media Literacy:
Misinformation vs. disinformation → Algorithmic bias — Social media platforms amplify both, but disinformation spreads faster because it’s designed to trigger emotions (e.g., outrage, fear). Understanding the difference helps you spot why some fake posts go viral while others don’t.

Across Subjects:
Misinformation vs. disinformation → History (Propaganda) — Disinformation is like propaganda (e.g., WWII posters spreading lies about enemies), while misinformation is like a game of telephone where the message gets distorted by accident. Both show how intent changes how we judge information.

Outside School:
Misinformation vs. disinformation → Deepfake scams — If you get a video call from your "mom" asking for money, but it’s actually a deepfake, that’s disinformation (someone made it to trick you). If your friend shares a deepfake they thought was real, that’s misinformation. Now you’ll question why a video seems off before trusting it.

6. The Stretch Question

"If a social media platform knows a post is disinformation but doesn’t take it down because it’s getting lots of engagement, are they responsible for the harm it causes? Why or why not?"

Pointer Toward the Answer:
This is a debate about platform accountability. Some argue that platforms (like Instagram or TikTok) should remove disinformation because they profit from it, just like a store would be responsible if they sold poisoned food. Others say it’s not their job to police speech—that’s up to users to fact-check. The real question is: Where do we draw the line between free speech and harm? Think about how you’d feel if a lie about you went viral, and the platform did nothing. Would you blame the person who posted it, the platform, or both?