Unchecked: The architecture of disinformation

Send us Fan MailSynopsisKaren McGrane joins Rachel and Dan to explain Reddit from the perspective of a moderator. Reddit is the largest message board on the internet, with thousands of “sub-Reddits” – individual communities based on a topic. Karen moderates the community dedicated to UX Design, which gets hundreds of new posts every week. Rachel and Dan then explore two Lenses: Swarm and Curation Escape.Stories"About this Account" on X/TwitterRenee Diresta’s SubstackBig TobaccoTobacco industry playbook (Wikipedia)Disinformation playbook (Union of Concerned Scientists)Interview with Karen McGraneKaren McGrane/r/UXDesign subredditLensesCuration EscapeSo much of our experience online is curated by algorithms. A set of rules – not chosen by you – governs what bubbles up into your feed. This set of rules is at the heart of most modern information systems, and can be responsible for perpetuating misinformation. They pose a disinformation risk by people who manipulate the algorithm.How does the system allow users to escape the curation?What role does algorithmic curation play in the system’s experience?How does the system allow users to tailor the curation algorithm?SwarmParticipants in online spaces can exhibit swarming behavior, gathering and moving as if one. Swarming groups end up performing a variety of functions – both desirable and undesirable – in an online information space. They can enforce social norms, or alienate other participants. Likewise, they can squash misinformation, or cause it to perpetuate.How does the system react to swarm behavior? How does the system benefit from swarm behavior?How might swarming cause harm?Come see us at Information Architecture Conference (IAC26)Register for IACUse discount code unchecked for $50 off base admission_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSYNOPSISSpeaking to Dr. Ushma Upadhyay, Rachel and Dan dig into misinformation about abortion – who gets them, why they get them, and how they get them. You may be surprised by some of the answers. Dr. Upadhyay describes her research around abortion safety and abortion via telehealth. Rachel proposes the lens “Retraction” and Dan leans on an old favorite, “Personas”.STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONY2K hypeThe end of the world in TimeY2K Panic in Popular MechanicsFraud in Minnesota: A misinformation perfect stormDave Weigel’s post on BlueSky  INTERVIEW Dr. Ushma Upadhyay FDA directed to review the safety of mifepristoneMifepristone in the waterLENSES⇒ PersonaEveryone makes assumptions about who participates, contributes to, or benefits from a system. Those assumptions are rarely challenged, and therefore become the source of or impetus for misinformation. This lens suggests unpacking assumptions is a crucial step in understanding the system.What are your assumptions about who is engaged with your system?What are your preconceived notions about who is involved?When you use labels to describe your users, does everyone agree on what those labels mean?⇒ RetractionPublishing in formal and professional venues includes the capability to correct or retract information published there. This is a crucial part of the process, as new information can change understanding. Moreover, mistakes and misinformation need to be marked as such. This lens invites you to look at the way in which your system supports retraction.What are the system’s built-in mechanisms that allow users to retract information?How is retracted information treated differently in the system?How does the system invite users to challenge information to kick off a retraction process?CONFERENCE DISCOUNT CODEJoin us at the Information Architecture Conference in Philadelphia in AprilUse discount code UNCHECKED to get $50 the base conference fee_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSynopsisFor the 10th episode of Unchecked, Rachel and Dan talk to Dr. Amelia B. Finaret, food economist and clinical dietitian about the state of nutrition misinformation. With the release of the latest dietary guidelines – some of which are not founded on sound nutrition science – we take a look at both the classic and newer myths around food. Dan uses the discussion to arrive at the lens of Making Hot Dogs and Rachel applies Diet Culture to our work as UX designers.StoriesRobert Caro on Robert MosesNorthern State Parkway (see section on 1929 compromise)AI-Generated Disinformation in EuropeReport for October 2025Interview with Amelia FinaretAmelia FinaretDr. Finaret’s book, Food EconomicsMyPlate.gov (today)MyPlate.gov (from Archive.org, at the time of recording)Dietary Guidelines published by US GovernmentHealthy Hunger Free Kids ActWhat to Eat Now, by Marion NestleAcademy of Nutrition and DieteticsAmerican Diabetes Association recipesLensesDiet CultureHow does the system send signals about the user's "goodness" based on what they are consuming or acting on?How does the system reward “good” behavior and penalize “bad” behavior? How does the system decide what is good or bad? Who gets to make that decision, whose world view is reflected in that framework?Making Hot DogsHow does the system process original source material? What role does it play in the "supply chain" of information?How recognizable is the original source material in the system’s content?_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSYNOPSISZanagee Artis, a climate advocate and educator with Natural Resources Defense Council, joins Rachel and Dan to talk about disinformation in arctic and coastal drilling. Zanagee describes the challenges of addressing disinformation when the time horizons of climate research spans decades. Inspired by this discussion, Rachel coins the lens of Time Feel. Dan, impressed by efforts to close the physical distance between policymakers and drilling in the arctic, suggests the lens of Distance.STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONWhite House destruction photoKatie Harbath’s SubstackBlack Death poemCenturies of Black Death misinformation started with a poemINTERVIEW WITH ZANAGEE ARTISZanagee ArtisA Kids Book About Climate ChangeKimberly Miner’s study on alaskan arctic impactsGwich’in people of AlaskaIñupiat people of AlaskaCoastal Plain Caribou AlaskaTaylor Oil SpillRadioactive waste water from frackingOil and gas sponsoring community and social programsLENSESDistanceThe gap between a personal context and the context of the information creates an opportunity for misinformation. (e.g. global warming isn't real when it's snowing in my town).How does the system help users bridge the gap between their personal context and other contexts?How is the information contained in the system distanced from the person consuming it? How does the system close the gap?How much does the system expect users to close the gap between themselves and the information?Time FeelIn music, time feel is how the musician interprets time while playing. More than rhythm or beat, it’s how the music creates a feeling of time passing. How does the system treat the passage of time?How does the system handle time horizons and the differing perceptions of speed?How does this thing support or not support the potential variations in time?What role does urgency play in the system?_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textCONTENT WARNINGThis episode of Unchecked deals with the sensitive topic of gun violence.SYNOPSISNick Suplina, Senior VP for Law & Policy at Everytown for Gun Safety joins Rachel and Dan to talk about the long-standing and persistent disinformation campaign by the gun lobby. Nick highlights the main messages and techniques in use, and we explore the challenges of celebrating prevention. Rachel describes the Lens of Despair and Dan digs into the Lens of Status Quo.STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONDid moldy bread cause the Salem witch trials?Debunking the moldy bread theory (Salem Witch Museum)Pushing back against disinformationGeorge Stephanopolous cuts off the VP (Rolling Stone)Airports refuse political video at TSA checkpoint (CNN)INTERVIEW WITH NICK SUPLINAEverytown for Gun SafetyAbout Red Flag laws (Everytown)Colorado’s new assault weapons ban (CBS News)2022 Safer Communities Act (Wikipedia)LENSESLens of DespairHow does the system alleviate or exacerbate or manipulate the feeling that nothing can be improved?How does the system create a sense of hope?How does the system intentionally give agency to its users?Lens of Status QuoWhat role does status quo play in this domain? What is this system’s role relative to the status quo?How does the system discourage users from questioning the status quo?_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSYNOPSISBrandon Schauer from Rare, a conservation nonprofit, talks to Rachel and Dan about ways to modify behavior to help save the planet. Climate change and its solutions are often too big for an individual person to connect with, so Brandon has developed strategies to meet people where they are. These strategies short-circuit climate misinformation altogether.STORIESBanana propagandaAnnalee Newitz’s book Stories Are Weapons The 1954 Guatemalan Coup (Wikipedia)NPS, the continuing sagaNational Park signage encourages the public to help erase negative stories at its sitesNational Parks Are Told to Delete Content That ‘Disparages Americans’This Is What Censorship Looks Like in a National Park: The First Park Sign That Came DownPark Service Is Ordered to Take Down Some Materials on Slavery and TribesTrump moves to scrub national parks sites of signs that cast America in a 'negative light'INTERVIEWEntities responsible for greenhouse gas emissions: By Country; 57 companies responsible for 80% of emissionsBiden cites Will & Grace in endorsement of same-sex marriagePrimetime in a warming worldHyperobjects is a term coined by British philosopher Timothy Morton in their book The Ecological ThoughtLENSESSocial AwarenessEveryone can be part of a solution to large problems, and the ecosystem can help users understand how they may be connected to others.How does your system help people understand they are not alone?How does your system prioritize meaningful connection over gamified social metrics?HyperobjectsBased on the concept from Timothy Morton, hyperobjects are concepts that are so big they are difficult for people to understand them fully. Information ecosystems may be connected to or related to hyperobjects, introducing specific challenges.How does the structure of your system help users focus on the most relevant part of a large problem space?How does the structure of your system r_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSYNOPSISDr. Claire Wardle is a disinformation expert and communications professor at Cornell University. She joins Rachel and Dan to talk about the history of disinformation study, how new technology introduces new challenges, and about how the information ecosystem might change in the future. She offers insights into the psychology of disinformation. From the conversation, Rachel elaborates on the lens of Friction, and Dan talks about a lens he can only call “Middle of the night.” STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONThe Propaganda of Hearst and PulitzerThe Spanish American War and the Yellow Press (Library of Congress)The Gilded Age (Wikipedia)Bedlam and Squalor and Worse, Oh MyTranscript of August 11 press conference (Roll Call)Trump exaggerates DC crime while ordering police take-over and National Guard deployment (Politifact)Trump’s DOJ claims credit for falling crime rate in DC (Justice.gov)INTERVIEWDr. Claire WardleAustralian drama series about the wellness industry: Apple Cider VinegarJim Acosta “interviews” LLM based on Parkland shooting victimDr. Noc, social media science influencer, who may not be scruffy enough to be believedLENSESFrictionFor designers, "friction" represents how much the experience intrudes on consuming information or completing tasks. Experiences increase the intrusion to discourage destructive actions (like deleting important information). Additionally, it is often said that lies are “low friction” and truth is “high friction”. That is, understanding and internalizing a lie is less cognitive demanding than doing so with the truth. How does the system use friction to engage users’ critical thinking skills? How does the system reduce the friction on high quality information?How does the system titrate the amount of friction in the experience relative to the quality of information?Middle of the nightUsers are most susceptible to disinformation when they are at their most vulnerable, like in the middle of the night with a health scare.How does the system support users who are agitated and vulnerable?How does the format of the information take into account a user who is agitated or vulnerable?How would the system fare if it catered to someone using it in an extreme scenario tha_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSYNOPSISDavid Dylan Thomas joins Rachel and Dan to talk about cognitive biases. David explains the fundamental attribution error, the framing effect, and the confirmation bias. All of these contribute to a skewed perception in which a person’s misconceptions about the world can be reinforced or exploited. The conversation leads Rachel to suggest the lens of manipulation and Dan the lens of belonging.+ + +STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONMary ToftDan quotes from Mary Toft; or the Rabbit Queen, by Dexter PalmerThe true story of Mary Toft, 18th century medical hoaxer (wikipedia)AI PolicyDirective to remove AI Safety from agreement on cooperative research  and development agreement (Wired)News story about executive order on woke AI (Wall Street Journal)The executive order to “prevent woke AI” (Whitehouse.gov)+ + +INTERVIEW WITH DAVID DYLAN THOMASDavid Dylan ThomasDesign for Cognitive BiasThe Cognitive Bias PodcastStory from The Hill about Facebook algorithmWhite Meat, the movie+ + +LENSESManipulationContent can manipulate a person’s hope and joy, and anger and fear, triggering a physiological reaction. But the content of a system is not solely responsible for this effect on users.What role does the ecosystem play in framing and presenting information in a way to garner an emotional response?How might someone use the system to elicit a powerful emotion?What emotions is the system trying to exploit?How does the system measure and/or classify information based on its level of physiological activation?BelongingThe intent of disinformation is often to make someone feel like they belong to a community.What role does belonging play in the system?What aspects of the system (labeling, categorization) create a sense of belonging?How does the system take advantage of a person belonging to it?How does the system model users as information objects?What is the emotional component of the relationships represented in the information space?_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSYNOPSISDana Chisnell joins Dan and Rachel to talk about information in civic tech. Dana discusses her experience with voting systems, immigration, and homeland security. New executive orders on communicating about people directly affected Dana’s job. She explains her rationale for stepping down from her executive position. Rachel coins the lens “#influencers” and Dan describes the lens “Messaging.”STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONThe AIDS crisisDan’s son was in a musical called Falsettos and it brought back many memories about growing up in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s.AIDS denialism (Wikipedia)Panic, Paranoia, and Public Health – The AIDS Epidemic’s Lessons for Ebola (New England Journal of Medicine)Falsettos at Lincoln Center (YouTube)Salmon fishing in the Pacific NorthwestRachel notes a mainstream use of the term “misinformation” in, of all places, a local controversy over salmon fishing.Northwest Indigenous leaders recommit to alliance to bolster salmon recovery (Bellingham Herald)Bellingham’s SE Alaska salmon fleet threatened by lawsuits, misinformation (Cascadia Daily News) INTERVIEW WITH DANA CHISNELLDana ChisnellPlain Language Makes a Difference When People Vote (Journal of User Experience)Resettling Afghan refugees (DOD archive)Executive Order 14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce (Federal Register)Office of Homeland Security StatisticsLENSES#InfluencersInformation spaces rely on “elders” or authorities to give information merit. Designing a system needs to acknowledge that influencers have long been part of information spaces, even before they were digital.How does the system rely on influencers?How does the system enable influencers without giving them too much power?MessagingMicrocontent in systems are meant to guide users and we’ve long focused on the the clarity and usability. In modern interconnected information environments even the smallest misunderstanding can snowball into full-fledged misinformation.How might microcopy spawn misinformation?What might people extrapolate from otherwise simple or harmless system messages?Ask yourself: What if someone posts this message on Red_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design

Send a textSYNOPSISRachel and Dan talk to Dr. Adam Ratner, author of the new book Booster Shots, about the misinformation he encounters as a pediatric infectious disease specialist. We discuss the distinctions between vaccine hesitancy and being anti-vax, and how misinformation has an impact beyond individual healthcare. Dan uses the discussion to highlight a new “lens” called double-tagging, and Rachel is inspired to establish the lens “frenzy.”__________STORIES OF DISINFORMATIONThe Fifth ColumnRachel describes how the US used the fictional threat of a “fifth column” to bolster their argument for Japanese internment camps.A Brief History of Japanese American Relocation During World War II (National Park Service)How a Public Media Campaign Led to Japanese Incarceration during WWII (GBH - American Experience)Of Spies and G-Men: How the U.S. Government Turned Japanese Americans into Enemies of the State (densho.org)Reciprocal TariffsDan highlights some of the more subtle and insidious misinformation about Trump’s tariffs.Trade deficits and truth deficits (Julian Sanchez)PBS interview of Justin WolfersJake Tapper interview of Ag secretary Rollins__________INTERVIEW WITH DR ADAM RATNERDr. Adam RatnerAdam’s book: Booster Shots: The Urgent Lesson of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children’s Health2019 measles outbreak in New York City (New England Journal of Medicine)Brooklyn measles outbreak: How a glossy booklet spread anti-vaccine messages in Orthodox Jewish communities (NBC News)__________LENSESDouble-taggingSeemingly innocuous labels can be turned into misinformation by applying them in a way that is technically accurate, but twists the meaning of the label. Tagging anti-vax information with the label “vaccines” is misleading, and undermines the integrity of the system.How might tags and classification schemes be co-opted to threaten the system’s integrity?How does the system’s classification scheme adapt to deal with neutral terms that have become loaded?FrenzyInformation systems have a responsibility to help users understand what’s truly important and/or urgent. Systems must avoid contributing to the frenzy of information.How does the system help participants prioritize without causing a frenzy of informa_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostEmily Duncan, EditorMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design