Disinformation is false information that is spread on purpose. It might seem to be a result of the digital age, but it has been around for centuries, really taking off after the introduction of the printing press to Europe in the 1400s.

After the growth of the internet in the 1990s, disinformation exploded even further. Anyone could share anything online, regardless of its truth. During the early 2020s, disinformation online proved deadly as false information was shared about COVID-19 and the 2020 US presidential election. Discover the history of disinformation, how it has grown with modern technology, and how you can recognize and push back against it.