Fake news, misinformation, disinformation: The false report that the government has introduced “Grade 13” to schools doesn’t just create confusion. Viral mis- and disinformation—whether it’s a fabricated change in the schooling system, speculation about missing persons or some political claims—can create panic, harm individuals, and erode public trust in institutions.

Anyone with a Wi-Fi connection can now 'cover' news stories. This was evident when a niche TikToker recently claimed that the addition of Grade 13 to South African schools was a fact. Tens of thousands of likes, comments and shares later, news publications’ myth-busting seemed like a tiny voice against the fervour that thousands of South Africans had already accepted as true.

Key dangers of this type of narrative driven manipulation include:

• Spreading panic and confusion – False claims can lead to unnecessary fear, and panic
• Endangering real people or events – As with the Joshlin Smith case, naming "suspects" without proof can lead to vigilante justice, harassment, and irreparable damage to reputations.
• Interfering with real investigations – False leads in criminal cases can waste law enforcement resources and misdirect public attention.
• Weaponizing belief-driven misinformation – Many people share misinformation not because they believe it’s true, but because it supports their worldview. Whether it’s political propaganda, racial narratives, or crime fears, misinformation is often used as a tool to reinforce existing biases.      

A recent survey revealed that 37% of respondents admitted they had fallen for a fake news campaign.

The case of Hurricane Helena deepfakes in the U.S. mirrors a growing trend in South Africa: people knowingly spreading fake content because it aligns with their views. This is known as confirmation bias—the tendency to accept and share information that supports one's beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

In South Africa, this plays out in several ways:

• Crime-related fake news is widely shared because people already believe the country is unsafe, even when the story is false.
• Political misinformation is spread to discredit opponents, even when users know it’s not entirely true.
• False racial narratives gain traction because they confirm existing prejudices.

This is why social media misinformation is so dangerous—it’s not just an accident; it’s often a deliberate act of manipulation, both by bad actors and ordinary people who engage in selective sharing.

‘‘My message to the public is to cultivate a zero-trust mindset, and to especially never trust any “news” that first appears on social media,’’ says Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa.

This doesn’t mean being cynical about everything, but rather approaching online information with curiosity, scepticism, and a commitment to truth.

Misinformation thrives because people allow their emotions to override their critical thinking.

Practicing digital mindfulness means recognizing when we are being emotionally manipulated and making a conscious effort to seek the truth before sharing. This should be taught in schools as a critical life skill, and we can learn from countries like Finland who provide great blue-prints on how to do this. As a nation we need to invest more in the cognitive defence of our people as the impact of being manipulated can be detrimental.

“Trustworthy news starts in a legitimate newsroom with journalistic boundaries, ethical controls and evidence creation,” she concludes.