Misinformation
Misinformation is false or misleading information. The term often describes errors shared without an intention to deceive.
Established ConceptWhat does it mean in everyday language?
A claim can be wrong even when the person sharing it believes it. Checking what a message says is a different task from judging why someone shared it.
An example
Hypothetical example: a reader shares an AI-generated summary that gives the wrong date for a public event, believing the summary is accurate.
A more precise definition
Misinformation refers to inaccurate or misleading information. Usage varies: some researchers use it broadly, while others reserve it for information shared without harmful or deceptive intent and distinguish it from disinformation.
Key features
- Concerns the accuracy or context of information
- Can spread through sincere mistakes
- May appear in ordinary or synthetic media
Where the definition stops
An unpopular opinion is not automatically misinformation. Neither is clearly identified fiction. A disputed factual claim needs evidence, and inaccurate content alone does not establish a speaker's intent.
How it relates to synthetic imprinting
This term identifies a problem with the information itself. Synthetic imprinting asks a separate question: whether encountering that information leaves a lasting change.
Research context
Wardle and Derakhshan distinguish inaccurate information shared without harmful intent from deliberate disinformation. Definitions differ across research fields, so studies should state which meaning they use.
Related terms
- Disinformation Established Concept
- Misinformation Effect Established Concept
- AI Hallucination Emerging 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). Misinformation. https://syntheticimprinting.com/terms/misinformation/
MLA: “Misinformation.” SyntheticImprinting.com, 2026, https://syntheticimprinting.com/terms/misinformation/. Accessed September 26, 2026.
Chicago: SyntheticImprinting.com. “Misinformation.” Last modified 2026-09-24. https://syntheticimprinting.com/terms/misinformation/.
What the status means
A concept used in academic or professional literature. This label does not mean every claim about it is settled.
How evidence labels workSee something to improve? Suggest a correction.