Disinformation
Disinformation is false or misleading information deliberately created or shared to deceive.
Established ConceptWhat does it mean in everyday language?
The defining feature is deliberate deception. The same false message may be disinformation when its creator posts it knowingly and misinformation when someone else repeats it in good faith.
An example
Hypothetical example: someone knowingly publishes a fabricated recording as authentic evidence that an event was canceled. A later reader may pass it on without knowing it is false.
A more precise definition
Disinformation describes intentional deception through false or misleading information. Frameworks differ in whether they emphasize an intention to mislead, cause harm, or achieve another strategic objective.
Key features
- Includes an intentional element
- Can use fabricated content or misleading context
- Requires evidence about conduct and intent
Where the definition stops
An error, an AI-generated image, or a disagreement is not sufficient to establish disinformation. Labeling content requires attention to context; attributing intent requires additional evidence.
How it relates to synthetic imprinting
Deliberate synthetic deception is one possible exposure to study. The proposed framework also includes artificial experiences that are openly fictional or educational.
Research context
The Council of Europe information-disorder framework separates the truth of a message from the intentions of those producing and distributing it. Those intentions can differ along a sharing chain.
Related terms
- Misinformation Established Concept
- Deepfake Emerging Concept
- Content Provenance Established Concept
Sources and further reading
- Information Disorder: Toward an interdisciplinary framework for research and policy making — Claire Wardle, Hossein Derakhshan (2017). Council of Europe.
Cite this definition
APA: SyntheticImprinting.com. (2026). Disinformation. https://syntheticimprinting.com/terms/disinformation/
MLA: “Disinformation.” SyntheticImprinting.com, 2026, https://syntheticimprinting.com/terms/disinformation/. Accessed September 26, 2026.
Chicago: SyntheticImprinting.com. “Disinformation.” Last modified 2026-09-24. https://syntheticimprinting.com/terms/disinformation/.
What the status means
A concept used in academic or professional literature. This label does not mean every claim about it is settled.
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