Security News > 2020 > October > Cisco Talos researchers explain psychology behind election disinformation posts on social media
Two researchers at the Cisco Talos Intelligence Group examined misleading and incorrect posts on social media to understand why so many people share misinformation and help spread propaganda online.
Disinformation is what criminals and foreign actors do: The intentional spreading of false information with the intent to deceive.
Misinformation is what people on social media do: The unintentional spreading of false information that is not meant to cause harm.
The researchers found that information that is first employed deceptively may, in turn, find itself spreading through unsuspecting participants with the sincerest of intentions.
Here is a look at why these incorrect posts spread so successfully on social media and what you can to improve your information hygiene.