Evaluating Information

The worldwide web is filled with valuable information--and lots of not-so-valuable information. Preparing for life in the 21st Century requires knowing the difference. 

Here are a few basic questions to consider whenever  encounter an unfamiliar piece of media:

·         Who made this?

·         Who is the target audience?

·         Who paid for this? Or, who gets paid if you click on this?

·         Who might benefit or be harmed by this message?

·         What is left out of this message that might be important?

·         Is this credible (and what makes you think that)?

Learn the  tricks of spotting  fake news. Here are a few things to watch for:

·         Look for unusual URLs or site names, including those that end with ".co" -- these are often trying to appear like legitimate news sites, but they aren't.

·         Look for signs of low quality, such as words in all caps, headlines with glaring grammatical errors, bold claims with no sources, and sensationalist images (women in bikinis are popular clickbait on fake news sites). These are clues that you should be skeptical of the source.

·         Check a site's "About Us" section. Find out who supports the site or who is associated with it. If this information doesn't exist -- and if the site requires that you register before you can learn anything about its backers -- you have to wonder why they aren't being transparent.

·         Check Snopes, Factcheck.org, and Politifact.com before trusting or sharing news that seems too good (or bad) to be true.

·         Consider whether other credible, mainstream news outlets are reporting the same news. If they're not, it doesn't mean it's not true, but it does mean you should dig deeper.

·         Check your emotions. Clickbait and fake news strive for extreme reactions. If the news you're reading makes you really angry or super smug, it could be a sign that you're being played. Check multiple sources before trusting.

SOURCE: CommonSense Media

The following sites will also help teachers and students use the Internet wisely:

William Paterson University offers a webpage that offers a wealth of information intended to help teachers and students recognize and evaluate "fake news." 

How to Spot Fake News from Common Sense Media, quick and simple overview of how to spot fake news

News Literacy Project : What is the role of journalism in a democratic society, and how can we become responsible consumers and producers of news and information in the digital age?

 School Library Journal News Literacy Toolkit:  Many useful resources for learning about Internet literacy in the "post-truth" world.

 Stony Brook University Digital Resource Center : 14 lessons on news literacy that can be adapted to fit many subject areas.