The Crisis of Misinformation and Dark Creativity

The checkered history of false knowledge, deliberate (disinformation) or otherwise(misinformation), has been long and varied, ranging from propaganda to memes. In recent times,the crisis of misinformation has been amplified owing to multiple agents on social media, usuallycomprising user-driven platforms where unchecked “facts” can be posted. This chapter exploresthe intersection of dark creativity and misinformation, particularly conspiratorial misinformation.Dark creativity refers to the use of ideational processes to meet less desirable (and even harmful)goals. Recent research has also reconceptualized conspiracies as creative narratives, andtherefore, we propose features common to creative and conspiratorial thinking. We also discussfeatures associated with individuals who may be more susceptible to believing and spreadingmisinformation, as well as their creative characteristics. The chapter also proposes ways toemerge from the crisis, harnessing critical thinking skills that can assist in debunking or prebunkingmisinformation.