Mis- and Disinformation... the greatest risk to the planet? (Lauren Mesley - Blog Post #2)

One of the biggest concerns amongst library professionals is mis- and disinformation, but did you know that the rest of the world is also freaking out about it? I’ve just read the most fascinating article from the World Economic Forum which, amongst other things, shares the results from the 2025 Global Risks Report, one that lists misinformation and disinformation as the most severe short-term global risk:

Why are we talking about misinformation on a social media blog? Because platforms are notorious for spreading misinformation like wildfire. Monetization models based on selling user data to advertisers (so... the way that the most popular social media platforms make money) create financial incentives for platforms to design the algorithms to be more addicting. The longer we are scrolling, the more data they have to sell. And the more shocking or emotionally charged content is, the more users stay engaged… and what is more shocking or emotional than false information?

This wouldn’t be as big of a problem if social media wasn’t central to modern life. It turns out that 34% of Americans are getting their news from social media in 2025 and that number is only growing. Even more fascinating is the rising trend of the “‘alternative media ecosystem’, in which people are increasingly getting their news from podcasters and creators on networks such as YouTube and TikTok” (World Economic Forum). We’re not even getting our news from news outlets accounts! We’re getting our news from content creators who read the news and then summarize it for us! Content creators who, just like the platforms, make more money when we are more engaged. You can see how this is a breeding ground for mis- and disinformation. 

To be honest, I don’t know if I believe that mis- and disinformation are more of a global risk than literally natural disasters, but I think this is fascinating anyway. I’m certainly guilty of getting my news from social media content creators. Like any information professional though, my digital literacy and critical thinking skills usually protect me from falling victim to clickbait and misinformation. But what about people who were never taught those skills? What is protecting them?
 

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