IC3 - Digital Literacy Certification Digital Literacy Information and Media Literacy 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes misinformation from disinformation?
- Misinformation is always more harmful than disinformation
- Misinformation is false information spread without intent to deceive, while disinformation is false information spread deliberately (Correct answer)
- Disinformation only appears on social media, while misinformation appears in print
- Misinformation refers to outdated facts, while disinformation refers to fabricated images
Correct answer: Misinformation is false information spread without intent to deceive, while disinformation is false information spread deliberately
The key distinction is intent: misinformation is inaccurate content shared by someone who believes it to be true, while disinformation is deliberately crafted and spread to deceive or manipulate audiences.
Question 2: What is 'lateral reading' as a fact-checking strategy?
- Reading an article from bottom to top to spot errors
- Opening new browser tabs to check what other sources say about a website or claim before reading it deeply (Correct answer)
- Comparing the reading level of two competing articles
- Scrolling quickly through a webpage to identify key headings
Correct answer: Opening new browser tabs to check what other sources say about a website or claim before reading it deeply
Lateral reading means leaving a site and opening multiple tabs to see what independent, credible sources say about it or its claims — a technique used by professional fact-checkers to quickly assess credibility without getting drawn into potentially biased content.
Question 3: Which of the following is the most reliable indicator that a website is a credible source of information?
- The website uses a .com domain
- The website has a modern, visually appealing design
- The content cites verifiable sources and clearly identifies its authors and their credentials (Correct answer)
- The website ranks first in a Google search result
Correct answer: The content cites verifiable sources and clearly identifies its authors and their credentials
Credible sources identify their authors with verifiable credentials and support claims with cited, checkable references. Domain type and design can be mimicked by anyone, and search ranking reflects SEO, not accuracy.
Question 4: What is 'astroturfing' in the context of online media?
- Hiding advertisements inside editorial content
- Creating the false impression of widespread grassroots public support for a position, often orchestrated by a hidden organization (Correct answer)
- Using bots to artificially inflate a video's view count
- Copying content from one website and republishing it without attribution
Correct answer: Creating the false impression of widespread grassroots public support for a position, often orchestrated by a hidden organization
Astroturfing creates the illusion of organic, grassroots support when the activity is actually coordinated and funded by a concealed group — mimicking real public opinion to manipulate perception.
Question 5: Why is it important to check the publication date when evaluating an online article?
- Older articles always contain more reliable statistics
- A recent publication date guarantees the information is accurate
- Information can become outdated, and an old article may no longer reflect the current state of knowledge or events (Correct answer)
- Search engines only index articles published within the last year
Correct answer: Information can become outdated, and an old article may no longer reflect the current state of knowledge or events
Facts, statistics, laws, and scientific understanding change over time. An article that was accurate when written may now be misleading because newer data, events, or research have superseded it.
Question 6: What does 'media bias' mean when applied to news sources?
- The tendency of media outlets to prefer stories with images over text-only stories
- A consistent slant or perspective in how news is selected, framed, or presented, which can influence audience perception (Correct answer)
- The technical error introduced when video footage is compressed for streaming
- The difference in reading level between tabloid and broadsheet newspapers
Correct answer: A consistent slant or perspective in how news is selected, framed, or presented, which can influence audience perception
Media bias refers to the way a news organization's editorial choices — including which stories to cover, which facts to emphasize, and the language used — can reflect a particular political, cultural, or commercial viewpoint, shaping how audiences interpret events.
IC3 - Digital Literacy Certification Digital Literacy Information and Media Literacy 1
What distinguishes misinformation from disinformation?