Dictionary.com的年度词汇

This year the editors at Dictionary.com nailed the word of the year with their choice of “misinformation.”

今年词典在线的编辑们选择了“misinformation”（错误信息）作为其年度词汇。

However, why 'misinformation' and not 'disinformation'?”

然而，为什么选择“misinformation”而不是“disinformation”（虚假信息）呢？

Dictionary.com defines misinformation as “false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead.” Disinformation, on the other hand, is defined as “deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; propaganda.”

词典在线把“misinformation”定义为“不论其是否是故意误导而传播的错误信息，”，而“disinformation”则被定义为“被故意误导或有偏见的信息；被操纵的叙述或事实；鼓吹”。

Note that the definition of “misinformation” still leaves open the possibility that the spreader has an intent to mislead. In other words, “disinformation” implies a definite intent to mislead, while “misinformation” makes no implication about intent.

要注意的是，根据“misinformation”的定义，它并未明确信息传播者故意误导的可能性。也就是说，“disinformation”明确暗示有故意误导之意，而“misinformation”并未暗示其意图。

It’s possible for a message to start out as disinformation and turn into misinformation. When it comes to the Russian troll who posts on Facebook about Black Lives Matter members hating on Hillary, that post is disinformation. But for the person who shares the message because it agrees with or affirms his existing world view (aka, confirmation bias), that’s misinformation.

一则信息最初被故意误导，而之后被误传是有可能的。当谈到俄罗斯有人在脸书上恶意挑衅，表示“Black Lives Matter”（黑人的命也是命）组织的成员讨厌希拉里，这就是故意误导。但有人因为认同其观点，或为了申明其个人世界观（也就是确认偏误）而转发这则信息，这就是误传。

The choice of misinformation as word of the year is brilliant for lots of reasons. Disinformation isn’t dangerous unless it’s propagated as misinformation.

因为很多原因，选择“misinformation”作为年度词汇是很成功的。除非“disinformation”被传播为“misinformation”，否则“disinformation”并不危险。

The term also captures the tragic flaw in today’s dominant form of communication–social media. Facebook was just a nice way to keep in touch with old friends and share baby pics with grandma.

“misinformation”这个词还抓住了现今主要交流方式“社交媒体”的悲剧性缺点。脸书曾只是与老朋友保持联系、与奶奶分享宝贝照片的一种很好的方式。

Now our social networks–especially Facebook–are vast and lightning-fast influence platforms that often deal in hate and half-truths. And there’s no built-in mechanism in social networks for shutting down misinformation, no immediate sanction for spreading it.

而如今，我们的社交网络，特别是脸书，已成为影响力巨大且传播迅如闪电的平台，它往往会扩散仇恨和半真半假的陈述。而且，社交媒体并没有建立禁止传播错误信息的机制，也没有应对传播错误信息的即刻处罚措施。

（翻译：Dlacus）