# Misinformation

This year

2023

Meta unveils framework for combatting online deception campaigns

Meta remains under pressure to do more to combat misinformation, particularly campaigns aimed at swaying election outcomes.

5.2k

Mar 16th 2023, 7:58 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

'It's relentless': The toll of online abuse on community groups supporting asylum seekers

A report by

Jane Moore

One local activist told The Journal that some of what is being said is “intimidation and just outright lies”.

14.9k

Mar 6th 2023, 12:05 AM

Voices

FactCheck newsletter: Despite Covid's lessons about fake news, history is now repeating itself

The anti-migrant playbook is almost identical to how things unfolded in early 2020.

10.9k

Mar 5th 2023, 11:30 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

The 15-minute city: how Ireland's conspiracy theorists grew to fear an urban planning concept

A report by

Stephen McDermott

The concept has become an unlikely flashpoint in a global culture war.

32.2k

Feb 26th 2023, 12:05 AM

# Misinformation

Social media companies aren't doing enough to remove misinformation about migrants, Harris says

There have been numerous allegations about migrants and refugees circulating on social media in recent weeks.

6.7k

Feb 24th 2023, 12:04 PM

# debunked

Debunked: There is no evidence that more 15-year-olds are dying of heart attacks due to vaccines

A claim shared on Irish social media suggests vaccines are killing 15-year-olds.

659

Feb 21st 2023, 1:04 PM

# disinformation

Working group established to counter spread of 'false and harmful' disinformation

The group is aiming to publish a new National Counter Disinformation Strategy by the end of the year.

8.6k

Feb 21st 2023, 6:00 AM

# Protests

'We must reclaim the streets from the far-right': Ballymun planning events to welcome refugees

Members of the far-right are “preying” on fears of some local people in Ballymun, a People Before Profit activist has said.

17.5k

Jan 10th 2023, 6:30 PM

Last year

2022

# factcheck

FactCheck newsletter: Covid, climate change and Ukraine dominated disinformation narratives in 2022

The ‘unholy trinity’ were prevalent throughout Europe this year.

5.0k

Dec 29th 2022, 12:00 PM

# critical thinking

Media literacy efforts in Ireland to be supported by new awards

Media Literacy Ireland wants to highlight work that empowers public with critical skills.

4.6k

Dec 21st 2022, 9:30 AM

Voices

Opinion: How conspiracy communities are using predictable tactics to spread falsehoods about RSV

Aoife Gallagher and Clara Martiny explain how online communities have turned to a new winter virus.

18.8k

Dec 11th 2022, 7:00 AM

# Twitter

Twitter lifts policy intended to prevent spread of Covid misinformation

As of September of this year, Twitter had suspended 11,230 accounts under the policy.

9.8k

Nov 30th 2022, 7:12 AM

Voices

Opinion: Trans rights issues are being used as a right-wing recruitment tool

Aoife Gallagher argues that anti-trans campaigners do not have science on their side no matter how hard they try.

23.2k

Sep 10th 2022, 8:00 PM

# newsletter

FactCheck: Sign up to The Journal's monthly newsletter about misinformation trends

See how we’re fighting back with quality information every month – and what’s happening in the wider world of disinformation.

6.5k

Aug 30th 2022, 8:00 PM

# Misinformation

HSE flagged over 3,000 Covid-19 social media posts due to misinformation

Most of the flagged posts were on Twitter.

9.9k

Aug 11th 2022, 1:05 PM

# misinfo

Financial advisor warns against hoax crypto ads featuring Leo Varadkar and other public figures

Users of multiple websites reported encountering the false ad featuring the FG leader in recent weeks.

14.3k

Jul 24th 2022, 7:01 AM

# factcheck

Debunked: TikTok videos touting unproven and potentially dangerous 'herbal abortion' methods

The videos have circulated since the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v Wade rulin.

Clips circulating on TikTok recently have suggested how women can terminate their own pregnancies, Brianna Parkins writes.

Many videos have cited the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade last month.

Medical experts have warned against using such methods because they are possibly dangerous and there is no evidence to support them.

14.6k

Jul 11th 2022, 12:05 AM

# Misinformation

The Good Information Podcast: Misinformation - is there still time to win the battle?

Are tools such as pre-bunking, strong legislation and public literacy enough to halt disinformation?

3.5k

Jun 17th 2022, 12:22 PM

# Podcast

The Explainer: In the age of disinformation and misinformation, how does factchecking work?

The Good Information Project has been looking at the fight against misinfo and disinfo, and this week on the podcast we’re taking a look at how factchecking and how it works.

3.3k

May 5th 2022, 6:00 PM

# the good information project

The war on misinformation: What counts as a win?

Will we ever be free of bad information or do we simply learn coping strategies to keep up the fight?

9.5k

May 1st 2022, 7:00 PM

# cancer risk

Happy Pear twins apologise after criticism of breast cancer video

The Irish Cancer Society said the majority of cancers occur for reasons “out of anyone’s control”.

92.9k

Apr 25th 2022, 4:40 PM

# the good information project

"Our current approach is insufficient" - The fight against foreign interference in Europe's institutions

The EU has spent 18 months looking into how malicious foreign actors are manipulating public debate. It has plans for how to stop them – but will they work?

12.7k

Apr 24th 2022, 6:00 PM

# sandy hook

Conspiracy website Infowars files for bankruptcy as Alex Jones faces libel lawsuits

Jones previously claimed that the Sandy Hook school shootings did not happen.

18.0k

Apr 19th 2022, 8:39 AM

# climate misinformation

'Some narratives have been crafted by PR professionals in the US, pushed by vested interests'

Research has found that climate misinformation is usually produced by well-resourced organisations rather than at grassroots level.

18.1k

Apr 18th 2022, 10:00 PM

# factcheck

FactCheck: Is this a photo of Dynamo Kyiv players armed in military gear?

Social media posts claim ‘football practice is off the schedule’ as one of Ukraine’s most successful teams kits out in army combats to join the mililtary.

34.3k

Apr 14th 2022, 10:00 PM

# TGIP live

Watch our LIVE event: Tools, tactics & strategies - how we can get ahead in the online disinfo war

Watch our expert panel discussion on how to stop misinformation.

5.1k

Apr 12th 2022, 7:00 PM

# over to you

Open Thread: How have you been affected by false information?

We want to hear about how disinformation and misinformation have popped up in your life. What effect has dodgy information had on you and your loved ones?

8.2k

Apr 7th 2022, 8:00 PM

# FAKE NEWS

Poll: Who is most responsible for stopping the spread of misinformation?

Misinformation is becoming increasingly hard to avoid, and its effects are deeply harming society. Who should be leading the charge against it?

15.0k

Apr 7th 2022, 10:00 AM

# the good information project

Are we winning the fight against misinformation?

Is it even winnable at all? Or is false information just a fact of life now?

9.1k

Apr 6th 2022, 8:00 AM

# Analysis

How Russia is using fake fact-checks to spread disinformation about Ukraine

One of the tools used against false news online is being weaponised to spread the very thing it was designed to fight against.

Russian website are increasingly using the fact-check and debunk format to sow doubt about what's happening in Ukraine, Brianna Parkins writes.

Social media feeds have recently featured red stamps declaring things as 'fake' that are actually real.

Experts suggest that traditional fact-check formats will have to adapt to combat the problem.

22.9k

Mar 28th 2022, 12:05 AM

# Propaganda

Russia using disinformation to create 'division and distrust', EU official says

Some anti-vaccine accounts on social media have now have turned to spreading lies about Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.

15.1k

Mar 13th 2022, 7:30 AM

# factcheck

FactCheck newsletter: Russia is fighting an 'Information War' - and it has spread to Ireland

Disinformation is significant aspect of the crisis unfolding in eastern Europe.

64.4k

Mar 1st 2022, 7:30 PM

# factcheck

FactCheck: Sign up to The Journal's monthly newsletter about misinformation trends

See how we’re fighting misinformation and disinformation every month.

3.2k

Feb 26th 2022, 6:06 PM

# Misinformation

Disinformation, Ukraine and the war of words on social media

In the first 14 hours of the invasion fact-checkers had already found 34 pieces of disinformation about the conflict.

21.6k

Feb 24th 2022, 8:00 PM

# Misinformation

Irish scientists on TikTok describe trolling and misinformation working on Covid campaign

The SciComm Collective, launched In the first half of last year, was intended to get the government’s Covid-19 messaging out to young people.

21.9k

Feb 6th 2022, 5:01 PM

# Your Say

Poll: Will you boycott Spotify over Covid-19 misinformation?

Neil Young has accused Spotify of “spreading fake information about vaccines — potentially causing death”.

64.8k

Jan 30th 2022, 10:14 AM

'They're not going to go away': Where does Ireland's anti-lockdown movement go next?

Some Covid sceptics have become emboldened by the easing of restrictions.

Parts of the anti-lockdown movement have shifted their focus since restrictions were eased last week, Stephen McDermott writes.

Sceptics and conspiracy theorists believe the Government announcement precedes a bigger crisis.

Recent events suggest the movement may be becoming more regionalised and attracting smaller numbers.

62.1k

Jan 30th 2022, 12:05 AM

# Joe Rogan

Joni Mitchell joins Neil Young in boycotting Spotify over Covid 'lies'

“Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives,” the singer said.

43.4k

124

Jan 29th 2022, 2:19 PM

# debunked

Debunked: No, this politician didn't fake his Covid vaccine booster

Social media claims this photo shows the cap was on the needle, meaning the injection didn’t happen.

2.4k

Jan 19th 2022, 12:08 PM

# Misinformation

Facebook runs dozens of ads targeting Irish users with anti-vaccine and Covid-sceptic content

Several ads were removed by the social media firm this week.

A search of Facebook’s ad library this week found 40 ads sharing pandemic-related misinformation or Covid-sceptic slogans, Stephen McDermott writes.

Advertisers included a company selling t-shirts, video bloggers promoting and a firm offering a 'vaccine detox' retreat in the south of Spain.

A Government TD described the level of misinformation in the ads as "absolutely startling".

36.0k

Jan 16th 2022, 12:05 AM