Beyond Local: Unmasking Climate Change Misinformation – A Free Educational Resource from the University of Calgary In an era saturated with information, discerning fact from fiction, particularly regarding complex issues like climate change, has become increasingly challenging. The rise of misinformation and deliberate disinformation campaigns poses a significant threat to informed public discourse and effective climate action. Recognizing this challenge, the University of Calgary has launched a free online course, "Climate Change and Misinformation: Navigating the Narrative," aimed at equipping individuals with the critical thinking skills needed to identify and debunk false claims surrounding climate science. The course, readily accessible…

Are We Stuck in a Disinformation Spiral? Breaking the Cycle In today’s hyper-connected world, information spreads at lightning speed. But alongside genuine news and insightful perspectives, a deluge of misinformation and disinformation floods our digital spaces. This creates a worrying trend: the disinformation spiral, a cycle that traps individuals and communities, reinforcing false beliefs and making it increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Are we truly caught in this vortex, and if so, how do we break free? The Mechanics of the Disinformation Spiral The disinformation spiral is a self-reinforcing cycle fueled by several key factors. Confirmation bias plays…