News literacy
The Center for News Literacy defines news literacy as:
The ability to use critical thinking skills to judge the reliability and credibility of news reports, whether
they come via print, television or the Internet.
Creepy Clowns. The election. Viral news is prolific. And it moves fast. But how much of it is true, and how do we know?
Studies reveal that middle, high school and college-level students are ill-equipped to decipher between real and fake news today. A recent Stanford University study showed "a dismaying inability by students to reason about information they see on the Internet."
“Our ‘digital natives’ may be able to flit between Facebook and Twitter while simultaneously uploading a selfie to Instagram and texting a friend,” state the researchers from the Stanford History Education Group. “But when it comes to evaluating information that flows through social media channels, they are easily duped.”
What can we do about it?
Educate ourselves. Educate our students. Become more aware of the thin line between news and advertising today, and how clicks = revenue for online sources. Help students understand the tools they can use to identify credible, reliable sources.
Understand native advertising, which tries to sell a product under the guise of a news story.
Paid advertising should say - in very fine print - "Paid Advertisement."
Understand view count.
Understand what you're reading:
News story? Advertising? Publicity? Entertainment? Propoganda?
What is a media manipulator? (meet Ryan, author of "Trust Me, I'm Lying")
A May 2016 Pew Research Center study found that a majority of U.S. adults – 62% – get news on social media.
A sign of the times: a book for journalists to use when determining what is real news http://verificationhandbook.com/