Media Literacy and Fake News (2 Viewers)

[Ayo]

The Canadian Journalism Federation is taking fake news very seriously. I've worked with media literacy for years, and this is - to date - the most expansively public approach that I've seen, in advance of the Federal Election.

Journalism group launches anti-fake news campaign ahead of Canadian election

Recent polling suggests nearly all Canadians have come across misinformation online, yet only 40 per cent feel they know how to differentiate between fake news and the real thing.

www.thestar.com

If you are engaged online, you have likely been subjected to something that was not true, and yet there isn't much pursuit in trying to determine factual accuracy of the articles and information. And most of us - probably every single one of us here - have fallen for it.

Recent polling by Ipsos, Earnscliffe Strategy Group and MIT researchers suggests nearly all Canadians have come across misinformation online, yet only 40 per cent feel they know how to differentiate between fake news and the real thing.

The polls also found 90 per cent of Canadians admitted to falling for fake news in the past, and only a third of them regularly check to see if the stories they’re consuming are legitimate.

I don't think that their approach is going to be enough. I think the most effective utility it will have is bringing awareness. But fuller approaches to media literacy are going to be necessary to combat the deluge of increasingly deceptive media. These are hard skills that can be learned, but with the advent of new 'deep fake' technology, media literacy is going to have adapt, too.

I would like to see greater emphasis on media literacy in the US. Because even though this statement is for the Canadian audience, it definitely - maybe even more so - applies to the US where news is more infotainment and sensationalized than it is up here:

“To be an engaged citizen, you have to have access to quality journalism… you have to understand what is quality journalism and what is not,” said Richard Gingras, vice-president of Google News.

Another source includes one approach - the SPOT approach: https://www.manitoulin.ca/news-media-canada-launches-new-tool-to-help-people-spot-fake-news/

SPOT is an acronym that acts as a simple way to remember the four principles of identifying misinformation. It works like this:
S: Is this a credible source? Check the source of the article—and be skeptical.
P: Is the perspective biased? Think critically and look for varying viewpoints on an issue.
O: Are other sources reporting the same story? Be your own fact-checker and verify the validity of the story.
T: Is the story timely? Check the date the story was published—sometimes, stories use old information to take advantage of a timely occurrence.

It's obviously not enough, but a decent start.

 

[CoolBrees]

And this is precisely why I implore people to get their news from Reuters or AP. They are unbiased. They report facts.

In fact, here is an article from Reuter’s literally calling out their own client for killing unflattering stories to the Chinese during the Hong Kong protests-

Refinitiv used filter to block Reuters reports on Hong Kong protests

Under pressure from the Chinese government, the financial information provider that distributes Reuters news to investors has blocked over 200 stories on the mainland.

www.reuters.com

edited to read: their largest client

 

[Beach Friends]

 

[Dadsdream]

Hi Beach Friends.

Please see the response posted by the WaPo editor below. According to him, the Trump White House is distorting the picture and what was said!

"What they were doing is that they were celebrating being able to go off the clock after a long day of covering impeachment. And that's what that's what she intended to convey," Baron said. "It's unfortunate that this has been distorted into celebrating impeachment."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/19/media/marty-baron-impeachment-photo/index.html

Agreed, the title of the tweet should have been reconsidered. Also, the deliriously happy expressions on their faces tends to make you believe these are cheerleaders at a pep rally, not objective journalists.

Nevermind. You're good.

 

[Beach Friends]

Hi Beach Friends.

Please see the response posted by the WaPo editor below. According to him, the Trump White House is distorting the picture and what was said!

"What they were doing is that they were celebrating being able to go off the clock after a long day of covering impeachment. And that's what that's what she intended to convey," Baron said. "It's unfortunate that this has been distorted into celebrating impeachment."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/19/media/marty-baron-impeachment-photo/index.html

Agreed, the title of the tweet should have been reconsidered. Also, the deliriously happy expressions on their faces tends to make you believe these are cheerleaders at a pep rally, not objective journalists.

Nevermind. You're good.

It seems the WaPo has been experiencing a phenomenon where there true sentiments are published first, but later withdrawn when the backlash ensues.

They can't quite figure it out on their own.

This ridiculous excuse just goes to further undermine what credibility they still have.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

Hi Beach Friends.

Please see the response posted by the WaPo editor below. According to him, the Trump White House is distorting the picture and what was said!

"What they were doing is that they were celebrating being able to go off the clock after a long day of covering impeachment. And that's what that's what she intended to convey," Baron said. "It's unfortunate that this has been distorted into celebrating impeachment."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/19/media/marty-baron-impeachment-photo/index.html

Agreed, the title of the tweet should have been reconsidered. Also, the deliriously happy expressions on their faces tends to make you believe these are cheerleaders at a pep rally, not objective journalists.

Nevermind. You're good.

As a former journalist yourself, can you please explain the rule that forbids journalists from being happy- deliriously or otherwise- at the end of a long day that comes at the end of three grueling months of covering a story?

 

[Dadsdream]

As a former journalist yourself, can you please explain the rule that forbids journalists from being happy- deliriously or otherwise- at the end of a long day that comes at the end of three grueling months of covering a story?

We didn't have Twitter in my day, thank goodness.
The Shreveport Times was heavy on public decorum.
Everybody in that picture would have been unemployed the next day.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

We didn't have Twitter in my day, thank goodness.
The Shreveport Times was heavy on public decorum.
Everybody in that picture would have been unemployed the next day.

Small town newspapers don't like it when their reporters show happiness at the end of a long day? Weird.

 

[Dadsdream]

Small town newspapers don't like it when their reporters show happiness at the end of a long day? Weird.

Shreveport Times daily circulation in my day was 80,000. Weird that you'd call that "small town."

 

[Beach Friends]

Small town newspapers don't like it when their reporters show happiness at the end of a long day? Weird.

They probably realize that while some people will buy their BS excuse just because that's what those people want to do, they will lose credibility with others.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

They probably realize that while some people will buy their BS excuse just because that's what those people want to do, they will lose credibility with others.

Can you prove that the reason gives is BS?

 

[Beach Friends]

Can you prove that the reason gives is BS?

Yep. I just show someone the original photo and the excuse they gave.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

Yep. I just show someone the original photo and the excuse they gave.

And that shows the given reason to be BS in what way?

 

[MT15]

I’m surprised this hasn’t been brought up yet:

“Facebook on Friday removed what it called a global network of more than 900 accounts, pages, and groups from its platform and Instagram that allegedly used deceptive practices to push pro-Trump narratives to about 55 million users. The network used fake accounts, artificial amplification, and, notably, profile photos of fake faces generated using artificial intelligence to spread polarizing, predominantly right-wing content around the web, including on Twitter and YouTube.”

Facebook Removes Accounts With AI-Generated Profile Photos — WIRED

Researchers said it appears to be the first use of artificial intelligence to support an inauthentic social media campaign.

apple.news

why is it always pro-Trump?

 

[Dadsdream]

I’m surprised this hasn’t been brought up yet:

“Facebook on Friday removed what it called a global network of more than 900 accounts, pages, and groups from its platform and Instagram that allegedly used deceptive practices to push pro-Trump narratives to about 55 million users. The network used fake accounts, artificial amplification, and, notably, profile photos of fake faces generated using artificial intelligence to spread polarizing, predominantly right-wing content around the web, including on Twitter and YouTube.”

Facebook Removes Accounts With AI-Generated Profile Photos — WIRED

Researchers said it appears to be the first use of artificial intelligence to support an inauthentic social media campaign.

apple.news

why is it always pro-Trump?

The editor of the Washington Post says the photo is genuine.

 

[MT15]

The editor of the Washington Post says the photo is genuine.

I brought up a totally different story that has to do with fake news. It has nothing to do with the threadjack.

 

[Dadsdream]

I brought up a totally different story that has to do with fake news. It has nothing to do with the threadjack.

The thread topic is Media Literacy and Fake News, not Social Media.

 

[MT15]

It’s kinda right there in the name, social media. And last I looked you’re not in charge of what counts as media.

If you ignore social media, you’re ignoring where a large portion of people get their news.

Kinda hilarious, actually.

 

[SaintForLife]

'Trump May Be a 'Habitual Liar and an Unreconstructed Narcissist,' But So is CNN'

CNN Is Not a News Network | National Review

And Jim Acosta is no reporter.

www.nationalreview.com

I think Cooke hits the nail on the head here:

CNN was careful and self-consciously nonpartisan — or, at least, it was keen for viewers to believe that it was.

...These days, CNN is a peculiar and unlovely hybrid of progressive propaganda outlet, oleaginous media apologist, sexless cultural scold, and frenzied Donald Trump stalkerblog.