Short, easy to read introduction to information behavior, critical thinking, metaliteracy, and its role in fake news. Great primer for anyone who wants to better understand the fake news phenomenon.
Traces the development of the post-truth phenomenon from science denial through the rise of "fake news," from our psychological blind spots to the public's retreat into information silos.
Exploration of complex socio-economic and political topics related to the economy of the United States, such as the federal budget, wasteful spending, the national debt, unemployment, and social security. Presents the facts behind the fake news, half-truths and general misinformation from the annoying headlines and memes cluttering social media.
An analysis by philosophers of the nuts and bolts of the information market, the attention economy and media eco-system which may pave the way to post-factual democracy.
David E. McGraw recounts his experiences as the top newsroom lawyer for The New York Times. McGraw is at the center of the editors' decisions about what news is fit to print. An exclusive look inside the hard legal decisions behind some of the Times's most controversial and impactful stories of the twenty-first century.
Misinformation
DisinformationYou may encounter both types of information in your research, and neither is considered credible. The difference between disinformation and misinformation is usually the intent behind it: misinformation is usually unintentionally incorrect; disinformation is usually purposefully created to mislead people. "Fake news" often falls into the disinformation category. However, just because someone calls information "fake news" does not necessarily mean that it is fake. Use the strategies on this guide to help you determine the truth of information you encounter.
Iterative journalism| What kinds of fake news exist? |
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There are four broad categories of fake news, according to media professor Melissa Zimdars of Merrimack College. CATEGORY 1: Fake, false, or regularly misleading websites that are shared on Facebook and social media. Some of these websites may rely on “outrage” by using distorted headlines and decontextualized or dubious information in order to generate likes, shares, and profits. CATEGORY 2: Websites that may circulate misleading and/or potentially unreliable information CATEGORY 3: Websites which sometimes use clickbait-y headlines and social media descriptions CATEGORY 4: Satire/comedy sites, which can offer important critical commentary on politics and society, but have the potential to be shared as actual/literal news
No single topic falls under a single category - for example, false or misleading medical news may be entirely fabricated (Category 1), may intentionally misinterpret facts or misrepresent data (Category 2), may be accurate or partially accurate but use an alarmist title to get your attention (Category 3) or may be a critique on modern medical practice (Category 4.) Some articles fall under more than one category. Assessing the quality of the content is crucial to understanding whether what you are viewing is true or not. It is up to you to do the legwork to make sure your information is good. |
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It's never too late to seek out good information!