Misleadingness
Misleadingness refers to the quality or degree by which information, statements, or appearances lead an audience to form beliefs or conclusions that are false, incomplete, or misinterpreted. It can result from deliberate deception, biased framing, or inadvertent mistakes in communication. The concept is used across disciplines such as journalism, advertising, statistics, and politics to describe how messages can mislead audiences.
Dimensions of misleadingness include intentionality (whether the speaker aims to mislead), the clarity of presentation, and
Common mechanisms include selective disclosure, cherry-picking data, ambiguous or loaded language, misleading use of statistics (such
Contexts where misleadingness is of concern include advertising, political discourse, scientific communication, and online information ecosystems,
Ethical and regulatory responses focus on transparency, accuracy, and accountability. Professionals in journalism, research, and advertising