Is disinformation just gossip?
It's a mechanism akin to manipulation
– says Dr Krzysztof Grzegorzewski.
In its simplest terms, disinformation involves spreading false information in a way that makes it seem true. Sometimes this is intentional (someone spreads falsehoods), and sometimes we ourselves become unwitting couriers.
Here, three concepts come into play that we should have on us like three coloured markers:
disinformation – a falsehood deliberately presented; misinformation – a falsehood repeated in good faith; and malinformation, which is true information presented selectively, without context, or in a way intended to be harmful. And gossip? Gossip can simply be distorted information – someone misheard something, misunderstood something, twisted a word, added emotion or cut off context. Dr Grzegorzewski points out that this is pure psychology. Memory plays tricks and emotions can fill in the missing pieces.
Gossip is like Chinese whispers. Disinformation is more often like a precisely adjusted megaphone.
Why do we click? The brain loves sensations (and rewards).
If disinformation is a virus, then clickbait can be its harmful airborne substance. Flashy headlines, the promise of shock, a miraculous solution in three steps, a drama in five words. Dr Grzegorzewski explains it simply:
These are dopamine shots.
Dopamine is a neurochemical reward system. The brain likes to anticipate that something interesting is about to happen, so it clicks. And once it clicks, it often gets another incentive – another headline, another video, another teaser, another sensation. And so we enter what could be called a tourist mode: a trip from nonsense to nonsense.
Then there's the platform design – infinite scrolling, automatic suggestions, content tailored to our reactions. Even if you start innocently, algorithms quickly learn what moves you – and turn up the heat.
How fast does an information virus spread?
Very quickly – and increasingly so
– underlines the expert.
Technology is changing week by week, and we, as humans, are learning new habits slower than an app updates. In practice, this means one thing: information resilience can't be a one-time action. It must be a training exercise.
Dr Grzegorzewski puts it bluntly:
Critical thinking and media education should start early.
And besides education, we need two more vaccines that will block the information virus: fact-checking, meaning verifying information and its sources as well as quality journalism, which will provide reliable information. Therefore, let's think before we believe something, let's check sources, seek context, compare information and use reliable sources...
...such as Science Inspires! Because if disinformation spreads like a virus, then reliable science popularisation is a kind of daily dose of immunity.
“Science Inspires” is an initiative that presents science not as a closed ivory tower, but as living stories about research, people and the real impact of knowledge on society. This type of content doesn't scream, "YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT!" but explains, organises and intrigues. It's a bridge between the world of science and those who simply want to understand more. Instead of random clips and headlines, you get content that guides you step by step. These podcasts feature researchers from the University of Lodz sharing what they've actually tested, how they reached it and why it matters. Over 100 videos show science from the inside, without pretending that everything always works on the first try. There are also lectures and meetings where you can hear how science dismantles difficult topics into simpler elements, without beating around the bush, but with substance and curiosity. Would you like to learn more about the world? Explore inaccessible regions of Venezuela, the ocean floor and uncover the secrets of space? No problem! At UniLodz, we explain the world.
On Polish Science Day, we wish you the curiosity to explore the world, the courage to ask questions, the commitment to seeking reliable information, and the willingness to cooperate, because even the greatest minds sometimes need to confer and explore different points of view!
Source: Dr Krzysztof Grzegorzewski
Edit: Kacper Szczepaniak, Centre for Brand Communications, University of Lodz
