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.

 

[MT15]

Can’t keep up with the fakes coming from Trump and allies:

 

[MT15]

There’s so much false information and just direct lies coming from the Trump campaign, it’s impossible to keep up.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

There’s so much false information and just direct lies coming from the Trump campaign, it’s impossible to keep up.

Interesting. I went to check the comments on the original tweet from Mark Simone. Nobody can reply unless he follows them. I guess he needs Twitter to be a safe space.

 

[MT15]

I’m not nearly computer literate enough to judge this thread, but I found it interesting. Someone who says he is an American “patriot” conservative, married, two daughters, etc. is pushing the idea that antifa(.)com redirects to Joe Biden’s campaign as a smear tactic.

This guy says he was able to follow it back to Russia. It’s a whole thread. I would appreciate it is anyone who knows better than I do can evaluate what he found.

 

[MT15]

This article shows how news can be spun, and then the spin is amplified by social media. It also ties in with the recent Qanon stuff about child trafficking.

No, The Government Did Not Break Up A Child Sex Trafficking Ring In Georgia

Simple headlines obscure the complex realities of abuse, sex work and the real threats to American children.

www.huffpost.com

 

[MT15]

One example, there are many, many more, of how right wing social media is lying about the protests in Portland and elsewhere.



I saw another one about Rochester where someone showed a picture of black people on a landing outside a window and said that BLM was entering homes to terrorize people. So the owner of the house posted and said those people lived there and went outside the window to watch the protestors march by and show their support.

 

[insidejob]

One example, there are many, many more, of how right wing social media is lying about the protests in Portland and elsewhere.



I saw another one about Rochester where someone showed a picture of black peoples on a landing outside a window and said that BLM was entering homes to terrorize people. So the owner of the hose posted and said those people lived there and went outside the window to watch the protestors march by and show their support.

I just went through that motoforlife guy's timeline and he was all about exposing this antifa war camp. I wish New Orleans would set up some antifa war camps for the homeless here.

 

[MT15]

Not worth a thread, and sorta fits here. Zuck is clearly delusional about his monster.

 

[MT15]

Turning Point USA seems to be paying young people to pretend to be pro-Trump and post messages on their social media. Without disclosing they are getting their talking points from TP.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/turning-point-teens-disinformation-trump/2020/09/15/c84091ae-f20a-11ea-b796-2dd09962649c_story.html

 

[The moose]

Turning Point USA seems to be paying young people to pretend to be pro-Trump and post messages on their social media. Without disclosing they are getting their talking points from TP.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/turning-point-teens-disinformation-trump/2020/09/15/c84091ae-f20a-11ea-b796-2dd09962649c_story.html

Wow!

That is amazing.

 

[MT15]

This actually happened to some poor guy in Compton named Darnell Hicks. And the person with the huge number of followers who identified him as the suspect is someone who spends all day on Twitter, is a huge right wing troll and has never even been to the US (so I’m told). It’s this guy:

Social media accused him of ambushing two deputies. It was fake news, but he's paid a steep price — Los Angeles Times

Falsely accused on social media of being the gunman who ambushed two L.A. County Sheriff's deputies, Darnell Hicks feared for his family.

apple.news

 

[V Chip]

For the last 3 months, we have been told they are protests and there was not violence at all and we were all 'crazy' and racist for saying so.

No you have not been.

Your Republican Ears might have told you that, but nobody is saying there was no violence at all. Stop with this ridiculous lie.

 

[efil4]

Not worth a thread, and sorta fits here. Zuck is clearly delusional about his monster.

I implore you and everyone else to watch "the social dilemma" on Netflix.

Ex execs from FB telling you EXACTLY what the motivation is ....revenue. full stop.

Zuckerberg doesnt care if its left/right or center. If it generates views, it generates ad revenue. That is his only concern. full stop.

Even more damming...fake news on social media travels 5x faster than truth. Meaning, 5x the eyes. 5x the clicks. 5x the "time on screen".

Equals....ad revenue.

 

[SaintForLife]

The satirical website called it

 

[Eeyore]

A humorous example of how people will believe anything if it even slightly supports their beliefs.

 

[MT15]

More fakes from the Trump campaign.

 

[The moose]

A humorous example of how people will believe anything if it even slightly supports their beliefs.

I just love triumph!

Man he can be brutal sometimes.

 

[MT15]

More fake stuff from Trump campaign