Experts talk about election misinformation

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – With Election Day less than a month away and early voting starting in just a few days, misinformation continues to be a growing problem.

The term “fake news” is becoming increasingly popular across the country, leaving many uncertain about what is fact or fiction, which can be damaging during elections.

It’s important to understand that misinformation and disinformation are everywhere, no matter how Louis Jacobson, chief correspondent of PolitiFact blames social media for the majority of this “trend.”

“Social media has really stepped up the game against falsehoods in politics,” Jacobson said.

He continued that the number of fact checks the site has conducted over the years continues to increase as it continues to become central to politics.

And the viral nature of many claims makes it difficult to verify each one.

“It makes our lives a little more difficult because it just works a lot faster than we do,” Jacobson said.

He explained that their fact-checking focuses on claims that may have gone viral or on important issues that may affect most people, which is why they are focused on the election as a whole.

PolitiFact received a grant to cover about eight Senate races across the country, and Arizona’s race is on that short list.

Gina Woodall, a professor at Arizona State University’s School of Politics and Global Studies, emphasized how damaging the spread of misinformation can be for Arizona.

“I mean, it could be incredibly damaging,” Woodall said. “Not just for individuals, but just for Arizona’s national reputation.”

Woodall went on to give an example of how dangerous it can be when poll workers across the state received verbal and physical threats.

Pima County Elections Director Constance Hargrove said in a statement to 13 News that misinformation can cause fear and confusion among so many voters and lead them not to vote. She said disinformation can increase anger, which can create a dangerous environment for election officials.

“That’s not good when you’re talking about the overall health of our little democracy. This is a very scary thing,” Woodall said. “And if people study democratization for a living and are nervous, we should all be nervous, right?”

Both Woodall and Jacobson stressed the importance of being cautious before sharing claims of any kind, as they could end up being misinformation.

Additionally, you should always pause and do thorough research before posting or sharing any information you see or hear.

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