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Endless information is now constantly available to all of us, all the time. But much of it is careless, mistaken or even malicious.

Political misinformation, particularly, is more prevalent than ever. We have a responsibility to exercise caution and use our critical faculties when deciding whether to believe something and whether we should pass it on.

Political misinformation can take many forms and is often designed to provoke strong emotions. In the past week alone, I have seen a wholly-convincing fake BBC webpage describing a television interview that didn’t happen and watched a doctored video of President Biden.With the General Election only days away, it is more important than ever to check the truth of things you see, read or hear.

It’s not always easy but there are things we can do. Try to verify information from more than one reliable source. Check the dates and context of a story and maybe use reputable fact-checking websites.Be aware that if something makes you react strongly, it may be deliberately designed to manipulate you.

"With the General Election only days away, it is more important than ever to check the truth of things you see, read or hear."

Everyone agrees that dishonesty in our public life does nobody any favours. It’s up to us to try to ensure the truth of the information that we consume and pass on.

A Girolami

Derbyshire

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Letter: It’s up to us to ensure the truth of information we consume and pass on

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