Talking About Mis-, Dis-, and Malinformation

Knowing the difference between misinformation, disinformation and malinformation and how to spot it are important digital literacy skills. Read on to find out how you can talk about it with your young person to help support them and keep them safe online.

Coming across misinformation, disinformation and malinformation can be a normal part of exploring the online environment.

It's never too early to talk about how to evaluate content to better understand if it can be trusted or believed, and support your child to be safe and responsible online.

What to know

It's inevitable that if your young person is exploring and navigating the internet then they may encounter information and content that is not truthful or accurate. They may come across this content in social media feeds, group chats, via influencers and creators or from the news and trending content.

Online content in these forms tends to be convincing, fast-moving and emotionally engaging and young people are still developing the skills to critically evaluate information, especially when content feels urgent, personal, or widely shared. The important thing for young people to understand is that sometimes this content can be false or misleading.

Misinformation, disinformation and malinformation are terms that often overlap, and can be difficult to tell apart.

Misinformation: false or misleading information shared without intent to harm
Disinformation: false information shared deliberately to mislead or manipulate
Malinformation: real information used in a harmful way (e.g. shared out of context or to target someone)

The key is not to memorise these definitions, but to build a habit of pausing, questioning, checking and reflecting on content before believing it or sharing it more widely. You can support this by having ongoing conversations, supporting critical thinking skills and modelling how to question and reflect. You don’t need to know everything, you just need to stay engaged and supportive.

Top tips for talking about it

Start with curiosity, not correction

When young people share something that isn’t accurate, it can be tempting to correct them straight away, but leading with curiosity helps keep the conversation open and avoids shutting them down.

Many young people aren’t trying to spread false information; they’re navigating a fast-moving online world where it can be hard to tell what’s real.

You might say:

“That’s interesting, where did you see that?”
“What made that seem believable to you?”
“How do you usually decide if something is true online?”

Starting with curiosity helps your child reflect, rather than feel corrected or criticised.

Help them understand the different types of information

It can be helpful to break this topic down simply and explain the meanings of mis-, dis- and malinformation. You don’t need to use these terms all the time, but helping your child understand that not everything online is created or shared for the same reasons builds awareness.

You might say:

“Sometimes people share things without realising they’re wrong.”
“Other times, content is made to trick or mislead people.”
“Even real information can be used in harmful ways.”

Understanding the different types of information helps young people make sense of what they see online.

Talk about why false or harmful content spreads

Content that spreads quickly online is often emotional or shocking, designed to get attention, and is easy to share without checking. Young people can benefit from understanding why something shows up in their feed, not just whether it’s true, to build awareness of how online platforms and human behaviour interact.

You might say:

“Why do you think this post got so much attention?”
“How do you think it made people feel?”
“What might someone gain from sharing this?”

Understanding why content spreads helps young people pause and think before engaging or sharing.

Build their confidence to question and check

One of the most important skills is learning to pause and question information without feeling overwhelmed. You can support simple habits like checking the source, looking for other perspectives, asking “does this make sense?” and noticing emotional reactions.

You might say:

“If something feels surprising or upsetting, it’s worth double-checking.”
“Where else could you look to confirm this?”
“What would you do if you weren’t sure this was true?”

Simple checking habits help young people feel confident navigating uncertain or misleading information.

Talk about impact, not just accuracy

Even when something seems harmless, sharing false or harmful content can have real consequences, such as spreading fear or confusion, harming individuals or groups, or damaging trust. Helping your child think about impact (not just whether something is true) supports more thoughtful decisions.

You might say:

“What might happen if lots of people believed this?”
“Could this affect someone unfairly?”
“Would you feel okay if this was shared about you?”

Focusing on impact helps young people think beyond “true or false” and consider the real-world effects of what they share.

Normalise mistakes and learning

Everyone shares something inaccurate at some point, including adults. Creating a culture where it’s okay to say “I got that wrong” helps reduce defensiveness and builds accountability and helps your child see learning as part of the process.

You might say:

“I’ve shared things before that turned out not to be true.”
“What matters is learning and correcting it.”
“It’s okay to change your mind when you get new information.”

Normalising mistakes makes it easier for young people to learn, reflect, and do better next time.

Let them know they can come to you, no matter what

If your child feels confused, misled, or worried about something they’ve seen online, they need to know they can talk to you. Reassure them that they won’t be judged for asking questions or getting something wrong.

You might say:

“If something online doesn’t feel right, you can always talk to me.”
“You won’t be in trouble for asking questions.”
“We can figure things out together.”

Knowing they can come to you without judgement helps your child navigate uncertainty with support.

Bonus Conversation Starters

These questions don’t need to be asked all at once. One small conversation at a time can help build trust and understanding.

“How do you usually decide if something online is true?”
“Have you ever seen something that turned out not to be accurate?”
“Why do you think some posts spread so quickly?”
“What makes something feel believable online?”
“What would you do if you weren’t sure something was true?”
“Do people your age talk about fake or misleading content?”
“How do you think social media decides what to show people?”
“What would you do if a friend shared something that didn’t seem right?”
“How can you tell if a source is trustworthy?”
“Who could you talk to if something online confused or worried you?”

If you're concerned...

If your child comes to you worried about something they’ve seen or shared online, how you respond can make a real difference. Misinformation can be confusing and sometimes upsetting, so try to stay calm, listen carefully, and avoid dismissing their concerns.

Focus on understanding what they’ve seen and how it’s made them feel, then work through it together.

You might say:

“Thanks for telling me, that sounds confusing.”
“Can you show me what you saw?”
“Let’s figure out together whether this is accurate.”
“We can work out what to do next.”

Practical next steps might include:

checking the information together using trusted sources
talking about how to spot misleading or false content
encouraging them not to share something if they’re unsure it’s true
reporting harmful or misleading content on the platform
taking a break from content that feels overwhelming

Helping your child pause and question what they see online builds their confidence and critical thinking over time. If you’re unsure how to handle a situation, you can reach out to Netsafe for advice and support.

You don’t need to be an expert in misinformation to support your child. Staying curious, open, and willing to explore questions together helps them build the skills they need to navigate an increasingly complex online world.