Combatng Fake News in the Digital Age

  • A Matter of Facts: the Value of Evidence in an Information Age by Laura Millar -  PD 025.524 MIL
  • Combating Fake News in the Digital Age by Joanna M. Burkhardt - PD 020 BUR
  • Fact vs Fiction: Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in the Age of Fake News by Jennifer LaGarde -                   PD 370.15 LAG
  • Fake News and Alternative Facts: Information literacy in a Post-Truth Era by Nicole A. Cooke -                   PD 306.42 COO
  • Fake News: Separating Truth from Fiction by Michael Miller - : 070.43 MIL

Five Types of media

  • Broadcasting - television and radio
  • Print Media - newspapers, magazines, books, advertisements, and posters
  • Movies and Theatrical Performances
  • Internet - news sources and social media
  • Games - Electronic and online

essential media literacy skills

  • Access
  • Analyze
  • Evaluate
  • Create
  • Act

What is disinformation?

  • Fake News - News that has been entirely fabricated or made up.
  • Misinformation - Information that is simply incorrect.
  • Disinformation - Involves the intent to deceive or mislead.
  • Propaganda - Disinformation with an explicit or implicit political agenda.

Allsides Media bias chart

types of misformation or disinformation

  • Fabricated content - Completely false content
  • Manipulated content - Content that includes distortions of genuine information or imagery — a headline, for example, that is made more sensationalist to serve as "clickbait."
  • Imposter content - material involving impersonation of genuine sources — by using the branding of an established news agency, for instance.
  • Misleading content -Information presented in a misleading way — by, for example, presenting comment as fact.
  • False context of connection - Factually accurate content that is shared with false contextual information — for example, a headline that does not reflect the content of an article.
  • Satire or parody - Humorous but false stores presented as if they are true. Although this isn't usually categorized as fake news, it may unintentionally fool readers.
  • Deepfake - Video, audio or images that have been altered with artificial intelligence software to make it seem as if a real person said or did something they didn't actually say or do. The term "deepfake" is a combination of the words "deep learning" (by A.I.) and "fake."

How do i know if it's disinformation?

Andrea Bellemare - CBC News - Jul 05, 2019:
  • Does the story seem too good (or bad) to be true?
  • Does it seem to confirm stereotypes about a group of people?
  • Does it seem to confirm my beliefs?
  • Are the details in the story thin or unavailable?
  • Does the body of the story match the headline or tweet? 
  • When was the story published? Is it new? If it's a few years old, why is it circulating now?
  • Does the story have a named writer or producer?
  • Does the video have a named producer or editor? 
  • Does the person appearing in the video have a real name or a nickname?
  • Have I heard of this organization before? 
  • What do I know about this organization?
  • Does this organization have contact information? What happens when I try to contact it?
  • Does this organization have reporters and writers who can be found on social media? Can I see their bylines on the organization's website?
  • What is the domain name (web address) of the website? Have I heard of it before? Can I look it up? Does it sound like the address of a similar website with a different ending?
  • Can I find another source that confirms this information? Can I find one that counters it?

Media Manipulation

  • Media Manipulation Techniques:
  1. Trolling
  2. Exploiting emotional language
  3. Amplifying the reach and popularity of certain messages 
  4. Creating and spreading conspiracy theories
  5. Polarizing audiences

  • Mastering the Art of Disinformation:
  1. ​Impersonation - Impersonating someone else and disguising yourself as a credible news source can be highly effective.
  2. Emotion - Playing to a people's emotions (fear, anger, or compassion) can be a great tool for spreading your message.
  3. Polarization - By finding existing grievances and blowing them up, you can drive people apart and make them think a story is much more important than it really is.
  4. Conspiracy - You can use people's desire for the "truth" to lure them into your band of followers.
  5. Discredit - Is someone attacking your credibility? Strike back! Don't apologize, don't play nice,, and above all: don't retreat!
  6. Trolling - Trolling is trying to evoke an emotional response  such as anger, irritation, or sadness. Don't hold back: your opponent's tears are your followers' mead!
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