Avoiding misinformation as the 2024 Election creeps up for Michigan voters
DETROIT (FOX 2) - It is 12 p.m. on a Tuesday, you go to lunch and open social media only to find an overwhelming amount of information on the upcoming 2024 General Election.
Unfortunately, you've been here before, looking in an ocean of noise not knowing what or who to trust when looking for factual information.
So how do you pinpoint what is real and what is not? With one week left before voters cast their ballots, what are some ways you can confidently stay informed?
The State of Michigan has resources for concerned voters who can fact check and report misinformation on the state's website. It is also helpful to check multiple sources when debunking or researching a claim.
The fight against Election Misinformation was put in the spotlight early in September, after former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance made false claims of Haitian migrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Meanwhile, social media platforms like ‘X' formerly known as Twitter, continue to push misinformation, with even Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson getting into a back and forth with the site's owner, Elon Musk.
On Oct. 20, Benson called out Musk, who claimed the state had more registered voters than eligible citizens.
"There aren’t more voters than citizens in Michigan," Benson said on X. "There are 7.2 million active registered voters and 7.9 citizens of voting age in our state. Musk is pushing a misleading number that includes 1.2 million inactive records slated for removal in accordance with the law."
Musk then wrote a response, claiming Benson would "remove the ineligible voters" after the election takes place.
As of Oct. 29, there are a total of 8,448,614 registered voters in Michigan. Though, this does bring the number of registered voters above eligible voters, this number includes 338,000 inactive voter registrations that are slated for cancelation in 2025, with 254,000 more in 2027.
Michigan voters can always go to the Election Fact Checker on the state website where you can find a list of factual information that can let you scroll confidently through the internet.
With technology constantly being updated, misinformation can also look less human.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a huge concern going into the election season, as uncanny photos and videos of politicians began surfacing, with some maybe missing a finger or two. AI images can at first be thought as harmless, but with the growing realism, they can be downright terrifying for anyone trying to avoid false information.
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The election is on Tuesday Nov. 5. If you want to stay up to date with Michigan voter news, you can tap here.