Misinformation or Disinformation...is there a difference

A few days ago, an RBC Mortgage Specialist created a flyer that was circulated to her clients. This flyer was meant to indicate the differences between a Mortgage Specialist at RBC (her current occupation), and a Mortgage Broker (My current occupation).

Now there are rules that govern both the type of information you can circulate as well as the information itself. You can only publish accurate information. Having said that, what if you publish what you believe to be accurate information and it is false?

Now what??

Not only have you put something on the Internet - an extremely difficult place to make something go away- but you stated some things that you thought were true, but upon further investigation and or being pointed out to you, are not so.

You cannot take it back.

You can apologize.

You can issue a new article outlining your mistake and making amends that way.

There are many things available, but that is not why I am writing this article.

I wanted to point out something to people. A common misconceived word, or should I say words. These 2 words often get intertwined and used in the wrong context to convey ones feelings about something.

First let me define them:

MISINFORMATION - is false or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally. the key word here is unintentional.

DISINFORMATION - is false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately with intentions of turning genuine information useless.  It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth.

Now as you can see, they sound the same and can be easily confused.

Having read the true meaning of both, if you've read the article from the RBC Specialist, I think you will lean towards the MISINFORMATION side.

Here's why:
- She is a professional just like us
- If she new what a Broker truly did she would be obligated to state so
- If she did this maliciously, like some believe to be so, she would truly be terminated for posting false truths
- She is bound by rules and regulations just like us; them being set by a Chartered bank


I could go on, but I think you catch my drift.

I love to educate people on what I truly do. When something like this comes up in the news, it gives me a great chance to promote both myself as a true professional and the industry itself as a true profession. We as front line soldiers trying to take the industry more into the mainstream should relish an opportunity such as this.
Not to tear the poor girl apart, but to set the record straight while there is attention on the matter.

That is why MBABC has jumped on board and been in contact with the parties involved.
That is why CAAMP today issued a statement.
IMBA...AMBA...all have stepped up to the plate.

This should give you reason to want to belong to these associations as Brokers in this country and in your province.

If you truly believe in what you do, and you have the passion to bring it front and center like I've seen in the past couple days on all the Social Media sites, then join the associations and fight it that way. Get behind your profession and help it grow. If we unite as one voice instead of many, we will be heard louder than if we did so on our own.

Take the time to educate each new client that comes aboard not only about what you can do for them, but about what the industry can do for Canadians in general.

Have a look at my website and see all the professions that we belong to under my links.
www.kevynoyhenart.ca


Until tomorrow...

Kevyn