malinformaatio

Malinformation, known in Finnish as malinformaatio, is information that is true in itself but shared in ways that aim to cause harm, manipulate beliefs, or invade privacy. It differs from misinformation, which involves false or misleading content, and disinformation, which is false information disseminated with intent to deceive. The defining feature of malinformation is the factual accuracy of the content combined with context, framing, or intent that makes it harmful.

Common forms include the selective release of sensitive or private facts, information taken out of context, or the strategic publication of verified details to intimidate, discredit, or manipulate an audience. Doxxing or publishing confidential records are often cited as examples of malinformation, as they rely on truth but weaponize it to damage someone’s reputation or safety.

In scholarly and policy discussions, malinformation highlights that harm can arise not only from falsehoods but from the misuse of true facts. This has implications for media literacy, privacy protections, and platform moderation, as efforts to curb malinformation must balance accuracy, transparency, and free expression. Some argue for contextual labeling, privacy safeguards, and careful handling of leaked material, while others warn against overbroad censorship.

The concept is a subject of ongoing debate and is not always uniformly defined across languages and disciplines, but it is widely used to describe the harmful use of true information in digital environments.