What term describes the practice of altering the original message either intentionally or unintentionally?

The term that best describes the practice of altering the original message, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is "distortion." Distortion refers to the alteration of the original meaning or content, leading to a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the information conveyed.

For example, if a piece of information is conveyed and then changed in a way that skews its original intent or facts, this is considered distortion. It captures the essence of how messages can be miscommunicated or manipulated in various contexts, including in media, communication, and data analysis.

Modification, while it can imply changes to content, does not inherently carry the negative connotation of misrepresentation that distortion does. Obfuscation refers specifically to making something unclear or confusing, which is a somewhat different process than simple distortion. Transformation entails changing the form or appearance of something but does not necessarily imply that the original message has been altered to the point of affecting its intended meaning. Thus, distortion is the most accurate term for this concept.