Disinformation
Fake news, disinformation or manipulation of information: in a short time, they have become familiar words in the Netherlands. Malicious people or other countries use it to influence your opinion. Unreliable companies also use disinformation to make money. Especially during a crisis, the consequences of disinformation are especially severe.
Think ahead
Recognize disinformation in 6 steps:
- Read the whole message carefully so you have all the information.
- Check the source: who wrote the message?
- Ask yourself why the message was written?
- Does the tone of the message make you very curious or worried?
- What kind of information is in the message?
- Are the photos or videos accompanying the message correct?
The website www.isdatechtzo.nl (information in Dutch only) offers tips on how to answer these questions.
- Check the news from other sources as well
- Do you not trust the message or do you have doubts? Ignore it and do not spread it any further.
- Talk about it with those around you.
Government actions
- The government, together with other countries, sets international standards on disinformation.
- It examines which information is harmful, illegal or even punishable or not, so that rules can be made for this.
- The government is trying to gain better insight into where disinformation mainly comes from.
- The government is also holding online platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, responsible for removing disinformation.