Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that gets shared, often by accident. When someone forwards a story about a celebrity that turns out to be untrue, or repeats something they heard that seemed believable but wasn't actually fact-checked, they're spreading misinformation.

Misinformation is different from a deliberate lie. If your friend tells you the science fair is on Thursday because that's what they genuinely remember hearing, but it's actually on Friday, they've given you misinformation without meaning to. They weren't trying to trick you; they just had the wrong information.

Misinformation spreads easily because people naturally share interesting news with others. Before the internet, misinformation might spread through a neighborhood or school. Today, it can spread across the world in hours through social media, text messages, and email. A rumor about a snow day, a false story about a new video game feature, or an incorrect “fact” about history can reach thousands of people before anyone realizes it's wrong.

People can protect themselves from misinformation by checking multiple reliable sources before believing or sharing something. If something sounds surprising or too good to be true, it's worth investigating further. Scientists, journalists, and researchers work hard to correct misinformation when they find it, but preventing it from spreading in the first place works better than correcting it later.