NPR broadcast (1/23/2017) media reporters talk about what can be done to fight what’s often called “fake news,” and the false accusations of “fake news.” Plus, a news literacy expert provides tips on how not to get duped by fiction masquerading as journalism
Work Laterally - When you open up a news article in your browser, open a second, empty tab. Use that second window to look up claims, author credentials and organizations that you come across in the article.
Work to Avoid Confirmation Bias and Information Bubbles - Is your search language biased? Are you paying more attention to the information that confirms your own beliefs and ignoring evidence that does not? Is your search engine an information bubble where items that support a particular point of view tend to rise to the top?
Check the author - Is the author a credible authority on the topic? Is the author real? Check LinkedIn or do a quick Google search to see if the author can speak about he subject with authority and accuracy.
Be suspicious of pictures - Not all photographs tell the unfiltered truth. A Google reverse image search can help discover the source of an image and its possible variations.
Check for an About section - Does the resource have one? It may be on a tab at the top of the page or a link at the bottom of the page, but reputable websites will include information about the website and its publisher.
Look for Bias - Are you getting the whole story? Does the article seem to lean toward a particular point of view?
Interrogate urls - We see quite a bit of domain manipulation these days. For instance, what looks like an .edu domain, followed by .co or “lo” is likely a fake or deceptive site. If you are you seeing a slightly variant version of a well-known URL, do a little investigating..
A website that rates the bias of news stories and other articles, labeling them according to where they fit on a political spectrum from left to center to right. And it posts multiple versions of major stories and their ratings. Readers can test their own biases on the site.
This Stanford University study published on Nov. 22, 2016 showed that more than 7,800 middle school, high school and college students in 12 states could not assess the credibility of the information that floods their smartphones, tablets, and computers — despite their aptitude for digital and social media." Working from this perspective the NLP teaches students how to differentiate between, on the one side, reporting that seeks to present information fairly, accurately and contextually and, on the other, opinion, rumor and disinformation. This is a great potential resource for students and educators.
A product of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, this site is terrific for checking up on political claims.
A professional networking website where you can look up the authors of articles and books to see if they're credible.
The News Literacy Project (NLP) is an innovative national educational program that mobilizes seasoned journalists to work with educators to teach middle school and high school students how to sort fact from fiction in the digital age.
A collaboration between journalists and educators to improve students’ information literacy through lessons in the classroom and its online program Checkology.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Politifact researches the claims of politicians and checks their accuracy.
One of the oldest debunking sites on the Internet, Snopes.com focuses on urban legends, news stories and memes. the also cite their sources at the end of each debunking.
The Post's Fact Checker blog is run by journalist Glenn Kessler. The site assesses claims made by politicians or political advocacy groups and gives out Pinochios based on its level of accuracy.
