Ayana and Brady discuss disinformation, using the Trump administration’s claims about an Iranian nuclear threat as an example, and distinguish disinformation (deliberate falsehoods meant to confuse or influence) from misinformation (unintentional falsehoods). They debate accountability, noting free speech protections and proposing that government officials and media should face legal consequences for lying to the public, while also acknowledging limited public power and concerns about paid, undisclosed promotion. They also address growing difficulty identifying AI-generated images and videos, and worry that early internet access and school technology make children especially vulnerable.

References
Bulger, M., & Davison, P. (2018). The promises, challenges, and futures of media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 10(1), 1-21.

Robertson, L., & Farley, R. (2026, March 3). Assessing Trump’s claims on Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. FactCheck.org. https://www.factcheck.org/2026/03/assessing-trumps-claims-on-irans-nuclear-and-missile-capabilities/

Spies, S. (2019, October 22). Defining disinformation. MediaWell. https://mediawell.ssrc.org/research-reviews/defining-disinformation/