False or misleading information is when someone says something that’s not true, but it sounds like it could be.
Imagine you have a favorite toy box. Every day, you put your toys in there so they’re safe and ready to play with. Now suppose one day, someone tells you, “Your toy box has 100 toys inside!” But when you open it, there are only 5. That person gave you false information, they said something that wasn’t true.
Sometimes people give you misleading information, which is like a little trick. It’s not completely wrong, but it makes you think something else. For example, if you see a sign that says “Free candy for everyone!” and you run to get some, only to find out it’s just one piece of candy, that’s misleading.
Why it happens
People might use false or misleading information because they want to trick others, make them believe something wrong, or even just have fun. It's like playing a game with your friends, where you say things that aren’t quite true and see if they fall for the trick!
Examples
- A friend says the sky is green because he saw it that way once.
- A teacher claims the moon is made of cheese.
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See also
- How we can protect truth in the age of misinformation | Sinan Aral?
- What is False information?
- How Does Explained in 60 Seconds: The Psychology of Misinformation Work?
- How Does Misinformation Spread on Social Media?
- David Deutsch - What is Truth?