September 13, 2026: Let's Solve Misinformation!

Bring-Your-Own-Brunch 12:15-1, Open Space Discussion 1-2:30 @ TVUUC
Free child care services provided
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Discussion Questions

Some questions to help get the conversation going!

• What makes misinformation convincing to us?
  What characteristics make us more likely to believe or share something before we've verified it—emotional language, confirmation of what we already believe, a trusted person sharing it, compelling images, apparent expertise, or something else?

• How can we tell the difference between misinformation, legitimate disagreement, and information we simply don't like?
  What standards should we use to decide whether something is actually false or misleading, rather than merely biased or contrary to our beliefs?

• What are the most reliable habits for checking information before we believe or share it?
  What should we actually do when we encounter a questionable claim? How useful are checking the original source, looking for corroboration, checking dates and context, reverse-image searching, consulting fact-checkers, or looking for primary sources?

• Why do facts sometimes fail to change people's minds?
  What roles do identity, trust, fear, anger, belonging, and political or cultural affiliation play? How should understanding these factors change the way we respond to misinformation?

• How should we respond when someone we care about shares misinformation?
  Is it better to immediately provide a correction, ask questions, privately approach them, publicly challenge the claim, or sometimes let it go? What approaches are most likely to preserve the relationship while still challenging harmful misinformation?

• What responsibilities do we have for misinformation within our own communities and political movements?
  Are we willing to challenge misinformation when it benefits "our side"? What would intellectual honesty look like if correcting a false claim might weaken an argument or cause we support?

• What can we do as individuals and as a community to make misinformation less influential?
  Beyond correcting individual claims, what could we do through schools, community organizations, social media, local journalism, civic groups, neighborhood networks, or activism to build greater media literacy and resilience?

• What would a healthier information culture look like in our community—and what is one thing we could actually do about it?
  If we wanted people to be better at recognizing misinformation without becoming cynical about all information, what would we want to see? What specific project, practice, or community initiative could we start?