Fake news and critical literacy in the digital age

How can we tackle the ongoing challenge of so-called ‘fake news’? Gianfranco Polizzi, PhD Researcher in the Department of Media at Communications at LSE, argues that we all have a responsibility to learn critical literacy to help us better to evaluate information, both on- and offline, and here sets out the responsibilities held by the different actors involved. This post was first published on the London School of Economics’ Media Policy Project Blog.

Written by: Gianfranco Polizzi, PhD Published by: The European Association for Viewers Interests (EAVI)

Critical Reading—Teaching Kids to Discern Real Information from Fake News

Lambert discusses the process and practice of becoming critical thinkers, necessary skepticism for media consumers, and principles and actions to assist tweens and teens in better detecting falsehoods.

Written by: Laura Lambert Published by: Brightly

Developing Digital Detectives

Developing Digital Detectives: Essential Lessons for Discerning Fact From Fiction in the ‘Fake News’ Era (2021)

Written by: Jennifer LaGarde and Darren Hudgins
Published by: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
ISBN-13: 978-1564849052
ISBN-10: 1564849058
Audience: K-12 educators and library media specialists

Description: From the authors of the bestselling Fact vs. Fiction, this book offers easy-to-implement lessons to engage students in becoming media literacy “digital detectives,” looking for clues, questioning motives, uncovering patterns, developing theories and, ultimately, delivering a verdict.
The current news landscape is driven by clicks, with every social media influencer, trained and citizen journalists chasing the same goal: a viral story. In this environment, where the race to be first on the scene with the most sensational story often overshadows the need for accuracy, traditional strategies for determining information credibility are no longer enough. Rather than simply helping students become savvy information consumers, today’s educators must provide learners with the skills to be digital detectives – information interrogators who are armed with a variety of tools for dissecting news stories and determining what’s real and what isn’t in our “post-truth world.” 

The book includes:

  • Shares meaningful lessons that move beyond traditional “fake news” protocols to help learners navigate a world in which information can be both a force for good and a tool used to influence and manipulate.
  • Includes resources and examples to support educators in the work of facilitating engaging, relevant (and fun!) instructional opportunities for K-12 learners, in both face-to-face and digital learning environments.
  • Unpacks the connection between social-emotional learning and information literacy.
  • Includes access to the Digital Detective’s Evidence Locker, an online collection of over 100 downloadable and remixable resources to support the lessons in the book.
  • As the authors state: “Remember, the detective’s job is NOT to prove themselves correct. Their job is to detect the truth!” This statement reflects the way they approach the lessons in this book, providing clear and practical guidance to help educators address and overcome this ever-expanding issue.

Combating Misinformation Online, One Meme at a Time

Kids spend between 6 to 9 hours online daily, excluding the time they spend online during the school day. Unfortunately, harmful content persists on social media, including falsehoods that can lead to targeted violence. As of 2021, only two states require media literacy courses in public schools. This statistic became the impetus for the creation of How2INFORM (H2I). H2I is an initiative designed to engage middle school and high school students in fact-based research to combat the rise of dangerous images and messaging on social media. Misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, and conspiracy theories persist on social media. These H2I resources can facilitate critical thinking, particularly while consuming social media. Here is what parents and students need to know to keep themselves safe online this summer!

INFORM is an acronym that can help your kids identify harmful content present in memes or other social media content.

I—Investigate & Identify
Investigate the source.
Identify the writer/author, website, & intended audience.
N—Narrative & Tone
Consider the narrator’s message and tone.
Does it make sense & seem believable? Is it written to inform, entertain, or persuade?
F—Fact or Fiction
Find & verify facts. Do you have doubts about the claim?
Are there grammatical errors and lots of punctuation???!!!
O—Opinion & Context
Recognize opinion & bias.
Could the message/meme be viewed as offensive?
R—Reliable & Credible
Confirm source (writer/author, website) is trustworthy.
Verify name/organization, logo, & “About” info of their website.
Confirm site is not “satirical” or “fantasy” news.
Are claims believable? Do other credible sources support them?
M—Misleading or Manipulative
Determine if info is misleading or manipulative. Label it an example of misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation. Is it related to a conspiracy theory?

Helpful tips: Information may appear in many places online, but that doesn’t mean you can automatically believe it. Trusted sources fact-check reported information & can support their findings. Remain skeptical until you confirm news is true, especially before spreading it online.

For balanced news: CLICK HERE

The following is a guide on how your kids can use INFORM to determine misinformation, disinformation, and malinfomation.

MISINFORMATION
Misinformation is false information that has been disproven. The original author or creator may believe the information and share it with good intentions; but doing so causes others that see it, believe it, and spread the false info even further. In some cases, misinformation causes harm.

On April 2, 2021, artist/rapper Earl Simmons, better known as DMX, suffered a heart attack. On April 8, 2021, NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns sent a tweet (since deleted) indicating DMX died. Montrezl Harrell then shared the tweet shown below. Both tweets caused rumors of DMX’s death to spread rapidly; the topic even trended on Twitter. That night, Steve Rifkin, DMX’s manager, released an Instagram video asking the public to give DMX’s family time and space during the difficult time. He explained the rapper was on life support but still alive. Though the original messages were sent by people that seemingly cared about DMX, the misinformation they spread caused unnecessary harm to others.

Using INFORM to review the message, we find:
I—The primary source here is Montrezl Harrell. The audience is Twitter users.
N—It seems believable DMX could have died on April 8, 2021, since he had a heart attack on April 2.
F—AP, a reliable news source, reported DMX’s passing on April 9, 2021. Before that, rumors were being spread of DMX’s death without confirmation from news outlets.
O—Harrell seems emotional in the tweet.
R—This source is a celebrity, not a known credible news source. This claim is believable, but there was no credible confirmation of DMX’s death when the tweet was sent.
M—The information is misleading and an example of misinformation. It is not related to a conspiracy theory.

DISINFORMATION
Disinformation is created to mislead, harm, or manipulate a person, social group, organization, or country. The author/creator is aware the information is untrue but creates and spreads the message on social media anyway. The meme features a photo of Abraham Lincoln and a quote credited to him. The style is popular on social media.
Using INFORM to review the meme, we find:
I—The primary source is unknown. The audience is Internet users.
N—Designed to entertain. WH.gov shows Lincoln lived from 1809-1865. History.com shows the Internet was introduced during the Cold War, long after Lincoln died.
F—The meme is fiction, based on what we learned in the previous step.
O—The opinion/bias is unknown.
R—The source is unknown.
M—The information is misleading and an example of disinformation. It is not related to a conspiracy theory. Since Lincoln is such a recognizable historical figure, it was likely created as a joke and would not lead to harm.

MALINFORMATION
Malinformation is information based on fact, but taken out of context to deliberately harm, manipulate, or mislead others. The meme below shows an image symbolizing Coronavirus. A label with “Made in China” appears on the image, mimicking stickers found on consumer goods originally produced in China. This meme represents many posts, images, and memes of similar messaging circulating online since the pandemic began.
Using INFORM to review the message, we find:
I—The primary source here is unknown. The audience is Internet users.
N—It seems designed to inform or persuade. It stems from the fact that Covid-19 is believed to have started in China, but implies it was purposely created.
F—On April 9, 2021, ABC News reported that scientists are still researching the origin of Covid-19. So, it is unfair, mean-spirited, and dangerous to jump to conclusions and place blame until proper research has been done, facts have been reported, and credible news outlets support information.
O—The meme creator blames China for the virus. Bias is against the country of China.
R—The sources are not known. The claim is unsupported by reliable news outlets.
M—The information is misleading, dangerous, and an example of malinformation. The Conspiracy Chart created by researcher Abbie Richards lists it as a conspiracy theory.

When you spot harmful memes like this online, do not share them!

Written by: Dr. Vesna Markovic and Kimberley M. Skubic
Published by: Parents with Preparedness Magazine at THIS LINK.

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