“I would trust citizen journalism as much as I would trust citizen surgery.” - Morley Safer

In our day and age, where technology has advanced and progressed at an alarming rate, it has paved the way for various concepts to develop and evolve, including communication, media literacy, and public journalism. It is through public journalism, also known as citizen journalism, that the public is able to freely share information with society without possessing a diploma or a degree in journalism. However, the downside of citizen journalism information is that it causes misinformation and disinformation, as there is freedom of speech. Misinformation, according to UNESCO in 2021, is the sharing of false information under the pretense that it is true. On the other hand, according to UNESCO in 2021, disinformation is the deliberate spreading of false information, knowing that it is not factual.

Since citizen journalism has been a way for the public to share personal experiences, stories, and information, it has also been a way to intertwine opinions and beliefs in their sharing, which may cloud the information as a whole (Dangerfield, n.d.). There is an overlap between misinformation and disinformation, which is the sharing of false information. These both impact society by creating disorder and disrupting the ability of society to progress (American Psychological Association, 2022). Furthermore, according to Craigie-Williams in 2018, the utilization of citizen journalism involves little to no checking of factual and evidence-based information; therefore, it leaves room for non-factual information. A short survey conducted by the American Press Institute in 2017 discovered that the most significant issue in journalism is "the flood of opinion and false information on the internet," which accounts for 54% of the survey. The survey results accurately showcase the pressing issue at hand, the spread of misinformation and disinformation. 

As consumers and providers of information in citizen journalism, according to West in 2017 and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2020, we can combat misinformation and disinformation by evaluating the source, verifying information, calling out false information, promoting accountability, and educating ourselves in news, media, and information literacy. Evaluating and verifying the information and source entails using the acronym CRAAP, which means currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. Using this acronym, we can quickly determine whether the information shared or we are sharing is true or not. Moreover, another way we can combat these issues is by calling out false information and people who share it, which alerts the person conveying misinformation to be wary of what they share. Furthermore, promoting accountability when one posts false information is crucial, as it is a reminder to not make the same mistake. As well, it acknowledges the audience that has interacted with and seen the information posted. Lastly, we can combat misinformation and disinformation by educating ourselves in news, media, and information literacy, as these aid us in identifying factual information.

Although citizen journalism is a quick way for us to share information, exploiting it for misinformation and disinformation is a significant problem in our society and causes issues and “gulo” in all aspects of life: health, politics, societal development, and many more. As members of society, it is our responsibility to ensure that issues like these do not spread further. It is our responsibility to share factual and evidence-based information and combat misinformation and disinformation, as this is the only way society will develop.