Media Literacy and Fake News (1 Viewer)

[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.

 

[Farb]

Farb, you think the Mexican government is sending people to the US? And picking which ones they want to send?

I do not. Trump may. I didnt say the words, I just processed them. Obviously we all process words differently.

 

[SaintForLife]

Wow. It's hard to even comprehend Twitter's reasoning here.

 

[SaintForLife]

The entire television news media is horrible and her statements aren't suprising at all. They distract us with hot button social issues and ignore many of the things that affect our daily lives.

 

[SaintForLife]

OMG lol. The irony of Stelter saying this while he's on air for CNN is just crazy.

 

[Farb]

OMG lol. The irony of Stelter saying this while he's on air for CNN is just crazy.

The purposeful lack of self awareness by the media today is almost unbelievable.

 

[efil4]

The purposeful lack of self awareness by the media today is almost unbelievable.

Same could be said of our current POTUS.

I mean, he continues to state the spanish flu was 1917. He believes that it may have ended WWII.

this is as recent as yesterday.

So when you guys get bent sideways about "fake news" - it ALWAYS starts from the top down. If its good enough for POTUS, then its good enough for the masses.

 

[Farb]

Same could be said of our current POTUS.

I mean, he continues to state the spanish flu was 1917. He believes that it may have ended WWII.

this is as recent as yesterday.

So when you guys get bent sideways about "fake news" - it ALWAYS starts from the top down. If its good enough for POTUS, then its good enough for the masses.

Same could be said for the democratic party.... who is next?

 

[efil4]

Same could be said for the democratic party.... who is next?

There is no next. Im just happy to see we agree.

 

[RobF]

The purposeful lack of self awareness by the media today is almost unbelievable.

The point they're making is regarding purpose - that is, reason for existence.

So, for example, a media network accurately reporting on Trump's words and actions could easily be seen to be 'tearing down Trump', since his words and actions frequently undermine his own credibility (I'm sure you don't need examples). But if that network's reason to exist was to provide 24 hour news, for example, it would be inaccurate to state that it existed for the purpose of 'tearing down Trump'; it doesn't. That's an indirect effect of its actual reason for existence. If Trump wasn't Trump, the coverage would be likely to be substantially different.

Whereas, for example, a media network founded specifically for a particular audience aligned with the founder's interests and political positions could reasonably be described as existing to tear down the opponents to those interests and political positions. That's a direct effect of its reason for existence. No matter who the opponent is, the coverage is likely to be slanted negatively.

 

[Farb]

I agree with you?
I know you are talking about FOX but I read it as you talking about CNN, MSNBC and all and it rings true.
The left has their media outlets that are heavily biased and the right has their FOX that is heavily biased.
It is the left's talking heads tendency so act shocked that there is a biased FOX while whistling past he graveyard of their own media outlets being biased comes off as pathetic, hollow and untrue.

 

[brandon]

I agree with you?
I know you are talking about FOX but I read it as you talking about CNN, MSNBC and all and it rings true.
The left has their media outlets that are heavily biased and the right has their FOX that is heavily biased.
It is the left's talking heads tendency so act shocked that there is a biased FOX while whistling past he graveyard of their own media outlets being biased comes off as pathetic, hollow and untrue.

I think you missed the broader point that to cover Trump accurately is to cover him negatively.

What he does is generally negative, and accurate reporting should reflect that.

 

[Farb]

If the press asks a questions in a new conference, about what the news conference is about, it is now baiting? I thought it was asking real questions of elected and appointed officials?
I have a feeling the media's reaction might be just a wee bit different if that was non-woke republican mayor of a major city.

 

[Farb]

We need a thread to handle just the disaster of Chicago but this relates to the media.
Apparently, the city has worked out a plan to shut down the Dan Ryan Expressway (really busy interstate) on Saturday. The city working with an political organization to disrupt citizens movement is a debate for another time but what I saw pointed out was that there was not mention of this by the local or national media. Instead, it was first reported by a trucking website:

https://cdllife.com/2020/scheduled-protest-will-shut-down-illinois-interstate-this-weekend/

That was put our on 8/11 and first media to pick it up was done yesterday evening and the protest was planned and made public on 8/7 and not a peep from the media:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/8...-ryan-on-saturday-to-protest-police-brutality

The details of the demonstration is up for debate since it uses federal road way and it appears to have gone through the requirements for it to happen. But the lack of willingness by the press to put it out, if anything to warn the locals to make alternate plans, avoid the area, stay inside, grab a non PVC pole and sign up for the protest, is what is unsettling. Especially considering the city is still fining businesses for covid restrictions, 8 pm city wide curfews and governor just said if the spike in cases keep up, they will go back to lock down. But again, a protest on an interstate will be aided by the local and state police with thousands of people already signed up.

 

[efil4]

If the press asks a questions in a new conference, about what the news conference is about, it is now baiting? I thought it was asking real questions of elected and appointed officials?
I have a feeling the media's reaction might be just a wee bit different if that was non-woke republican mayor of a major city.

What was that press conference about?

The question from the reporter was wanting to know if the elected/appointed to the judiciary are the root cause of the issues. To law enforcement officer. Why should he be answering? Thats not in his purview.

But to his and the Mayor credit...they offered a reply. ( versus "Thank you very much" **exit stage left )

That was a loaded question and the Mayor nipped that in the bud. They werent looking to create adversaries in the judiciary. They need to work hand in hand.

 

[Farb]

The conference was about the looting that happened over the weekend on the 'miracle mile'. So asking the police chief what was the cause and his response was to look at what actually happened and that was because there were no consequences for the looters the first time around. Then the Mayor rushes in to lecture the reporter about 'baiting' them followed up with a lecture that includes all the usual talking points. That was a horrible look but Lightfoot is a joke of mayor anyway.
Was that baiting or asking an actual follow up question? It was a legitimate question.

Bad look on the Mayor who is coming under increasingly heavy fire from her city and employees as she should.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2...foot-cpd-press-conference-on-mag-mile-looting

Edit: Full video of the press conference. The part that brought the Mayor in starts at about the 19 minute mark.

 

[Farb]

https://www.wbtv.com/2020/08/11/police-have-man-custody-after-year-old-fatally-shot-nc/

By WITN web team | August 12, 2020 at 5:16 PM EDT - Updated August 12 at 7:19 PM
WILSON, N.C. (WITN) - Police said a man wanted for the killing of a 5-year-old is in custody.
Darrius Sessoms, 25, was arrested by Wilson police and the U.S. Marshals’ Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Police say Sessoms was located inside a residence in Goldsboro.
He’s charged with first-degree murder and is being held with no bond.
Cannon Hinnat was shot around 5:30 p.m. Sunday on Archers Road. Police say the boy later died at a hospital.
WRAL reported that Sessoms is the child’s neighbor.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the boy’s family.

“A beautiful 5-year-old baby boy riding his bicycle was shot by his neighbor point blank in Wilson, N.C. One minute he is enjoying his life, the next it all ends because he rode into his neighbor’s yard,” the page says.

I guess CNN was too busy covering the end of WW1 by the great Spanish Flu insurrection than to report anything on this?
It doesn't fit the narrative.
I am not surprised, I am well aware FOX does it as well, but again, the level of non-self awareness by the media is just crazy.

 

[RobF]

It doesn't fit the narrative.

What do you mean, "It doesn't fit the narrative"? What narrative? And what alternative narrative, specifically, are you suggesting this story tells?

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

https://www.wbtv.com/2020/08/11/police-have-man-custody-after-year-old-fatally-shot-nc/

By WITN web team | August 12, 2020 at 5:16 PM EDT - Updated August 12 at 7:19 PM
WILSON, N.C. (WITN) - Police said a man wanted for the killing of a 5-year-old is in custody.
Darrius Sessoms, 25, was arrested by Wilson police and the U.S. Marshals’ Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Police say Sessoms was located inside a residence in Goldsboro.
He’s charged with first-degree murder and is being held with no bond.
Cannon Hinnat was shot around 5:30 p.m. Sunday on Archers Road. Police say the boy later died at a hospital.
WRAL reported that Sessoms is the child’s neighbor.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the boy’s family.

“A beautiful 5-year-old baby boy riding his bicycle was shot by his neighbor point blank in Wilson, N.C. One minute he is enjoying his life, the next it all ends because he rode into his neighbor’s yard,” the page says.

I guess CNN was too busy covering the end of WW1 by the great Spanish Flu insurrection than to report anything on this?
It doesn't fit the narrative.
I am not surprised, I am well aware FOX does it as well, but again, the level of non-self awareness by the media is just crazy.

I know, right.

Here's something else they are not covering:

LaPlace couple arrested on molestation charges after husband accused of sexually abusing 2 girls

A LaPlace couple has been arrested following an investigation into the sexual abuse of two young girls, according to authorities.

www.nola.com

A LaPlace couple has been arrested following an investigation into the sexual abuse of two young girls, according to authorities.

John Bogart, 47, was booked Tuesday with first-degree rape and two counts of molestation of a juvenile, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Local Crimes Matter!!!!