Combating the Sharing of False Information: History, Framework, and Literacy Strategies

Abstract Social media has helped intensify the velocity and volume of information shared on the Internet. A flood of information from a multitude of viewpoints and in a wide array of mediums is unleashed on the public daily. Unfortunately, the information falls on a wide spectrum of veracity—from completely true, to somewhat true but misleading, to utterly false. While we may partially blame hostile foreign or domestic actors for seeding false information into the public consciousness, information users need to understand their own roles, often played unwittingly, in sharing that information. In this study we attempted to advance our understanding of the phenomena of information sharing, especially when false information is involved, and demonstrate that information literacy is the best line of defense against false information. After a historical overview of how librarians dealt with propaganda and false information, we present a conceptual framework for understanding why people share information, especially false information, using examples from social media and other digital communication channels. We also discuss the consequences of sharing false information. We conclude with literacy strategies for equipping information users with the knowledge and skills to assess, process, and respond to shared information effectively.