What is Disinformation?

The unchecked flow of disinformation is dangerous. And while disinformation is not new, digital avenues (such as social media) have paved the way for an increase in disinformation. Overall, it can be difficult to distinguish disinformation from the truth.

What is the Definition of Disinformation?

The term “disinformation” refers to the deliberate dissemination of false information with the intent to purposely mislead or deceive.
Similarly, you may have heard the term “disinformation campaign,” which is the deliberate spread of false information, but on a large scale. Disinformation campaigns are usually organized efforts targeted at large companies or institutions. And when disinformation campaigns are effective, they are dangerous.
To be clear, disinformation differs from misinformation. Misinformation is the accidental or unintentional spread of false information. As you can see, the difference between the two is the intention. One is more or less a mistake, while the other is made with ill intent and can be harmful.

Example of Disinformation

Let’s consider a scenario to distinguish between misinformation and disinformation. Imagine you invited a friend to a party, but due to a misunderstanding, you provided the wrong address. In this case, it’s misinformation. The information is incorrect, but there’s no ill intent.

On the other hand, let’s say you deliberately gave them the wrong address. If this was done with the intention of making them miss the party, that would be considered ill intent. Therefore, it is an example of disinformation.
Many scholars believe the term originated in the 1950s in Russia. However, disinformation really took its foothold in the 1990s. After all, this was the dawning of the digital age. And these new tools gave disinformation the ability to spread irrepressibly.

Think of conspiracy theories, propaganda, deepfakes, fake news, hoaxes, frauds, photoshop, and scams. These are intentionally designed to target and mislead ordinary citizens. And if the citizens are unaware of the problem, it makes them vulnerable to these tactics.
Disinformation often spreads through social media and websites. It can also spread through traditional media outlets, such as television and radio. This can further generate misleading information which can create a wrong impression or perception.
Every responsible member of society should be ready to recognise disinformation. They should also be ready to do their part to stop it from spreading. And so we are shining a light on the situation.

Report Disinformation

We understand that disinformation impacts everyone differently. Additionally, everyone receives it differently depending on what channels they use, etc. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be unified to stop it.

It is imperative that we join in our fight against disinformation in any form. No single entity can silence the negative effects of disinformation on their own. And this is why we need your help. We have created a place where you can report disinformation as you see it.
The link below will give you a voice against the spread of disinformation. Whether you have a question or your findings highlight something is amiss, use the link. Disinformation has no place in the direct selling industry, and together we can root it out.
Use the link below to report disinformation.
Fighting Disinformation, together. Awareness, Knowledge, Action

Resources

Direct Selling Industry FAQs

Disinformation is the deliberate spreading of false information. Unlike misinformation, disinformation is intentional, which is the important differentiator. Misinformation is a mistake, while disinformation is made withill intent.
Disinformation is meant to mislead the public. Sometimes this is on a small scale, while other time it invovles large campaigns. It is intentional n nature, and often used to discredit or manipulate public opinion.
Disinformation works largely by harming credibility. Regarding the direct selling industry, disinformation promotes falsehoods. These falsehoods tend to be “click-batey,” which means they are shared and attract attention. And when enough people share fake news, it becomes problematic.

Intentionally spreading falsehoods about an individual or an organization is illegal. And yet, stopping such a flow of information on social media can be incredibly difficult. If the originator of the disinformation is clear, a reasonable charge is defamation. However, it all depends on the words used, what is at stake, etc.

Individuals or companies create disinformation to discredit other individuals or companies. It can be done out of competition or sometimes retribution. The reality is anyone can create disinformation, but sharing strategies on social media that do the most damage.

OUR MISSION

We’re here to educate, empower, and provide readers with the resources and data they need to make an informed decision about the direct selling industry

Drawing from our own experiences as pioneers in the direct selling industry in many emerging markets, QNET is on a mission to educate the public with accurate and factual information about the direct selling industry and address allegations made against QNET in an open and transparent manner.

Establishing credibility is a key tool in a business’ arsenal in the fight against disinformation. An important element of this is being able to communicate data and hard facts that allow readers to cut through the fluff and get to the crux of the message.

QNET is a prominent direct selling company with customers in many parts of the world, including in emerging markets where direct selling is either unknown or still in its nascent stages. This has led to a lot of misinformation about QNET being propagated in the public narrative.

Additional Resources

Report Misinformation about QNET Today

If you are approached by someone with information about QNET that sounds suspicious or inaccurate, please report the disinformation to us with as much detail as possible. If you are being harassed or pressured by someone in the name of QNET, please let us know immediately.