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Media Literacy & Fake News

Media Literacy @ NNHS Library

What is is "media literacy"?

It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate with messages in a variety of forms – from print to video to the Internet. Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy.” (http://www.medialit.org/media-literacy-definition-and-more/)

 

Explore the resources here to learn how you can become a knowledgeable, critical consumer of news. Learn, also, the role you can play in preventing the spread of false information. 

Tools, Techniques, & Resources to Help Identify Misinformation

SIFT-SIFT Method

  • Stop

  • Investigate

  • Find better coverage

  • Trace Claims


The ART of Lateral Reading-ART method- read laterally

When you read something seems biased, exaggerated, or satirical open up a second tab and research the source of the information.

Find out:

  • who the author, organization, or group is 

  • what other stories do they write about

  • who is their general target audience

  • are they trying to inform, persuade, or deceive

  • are they trying to sell you something





 



CRAAP Test Video - Learn about the CRAAP test by watching thiCRAAP Tests short video. 

Politifact's News Evaluation Tool - Answer a series of (mostly) yes or no questions about a source and the tool helps you discern the likelihood that it is real and reliable.

Google Reverse Image Search - this video shows how to do it on a computer and phone
find the origin of an image to make sure it is authentic and not being taken out of context see how other people are using the image make sure you are not being duped by AI or deepfakes

First Draft News - This organization works to empower people with knowledge and tools to build resilience against harmful, false, and misleading information. 

AllSides.com - Operating under the principle thatAllSides unbiased news does not exist, AllSides aims to make transparent the biases news organizations have. The site also provides side-by-side coverage of the same events from different sources so you can compare coverage from the political left, right, and center. 

Snopes - This site claims to be the "go-to source for discerning
what is true and what is total nonsense." A great place to check before you share. 


 

Fact Checking Sites

  • Politifact - If a politician said it, Politifact may have already fact-checked it!

  • AP FactCheck - When a public figure says something questionable, AP Fact check investigates the claim.

  • FactCheck.org - This non-partisan non-profit monitors "the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases." 

  • Lead Stories - "Just because it's trending doesn't mean it's true" is the motto employed by this fact-checking organization. " Visit the "Blue Feed"/"Red Feed" sections to see what misinformation is being spun by the political left and right. 

  • Snopes - This site claims to be the "go-to source for discerning what is true and what is total nonsense." A great place to check before you share. 

Games and Simulations

  • BBC iReporter - Play this game to understand the pressures journalists are under to balance accuracy, speed, and impact when publishing the news.

  • Spot the Troll - Think you know how to spot a troll on social media? Try this game to test your skills. 

  • Factitious 2020 - Pandemic Edition - Swipe left if you think the Covid-19-related article is fake, swipe right if you think it's real. Also try the original edition. 

  • Get Bad News - Put yourself in the position of someone who creates and spreads false news in order to understand how better to spot it. Teachers: download the free PDF for a guide for using in the classroom. 

  • NewsFeed Defenders - Your job? Maintain a fictional social media site, grow traffic, and spot misinformation. It's harder than it might seem! Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor founded the organization behind this game (& several others that explore U.S. government and civics issues).

Lesson Plans & Resources 

Newton North High School Library

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Newton, MA 02460
call: (617) 559-6290

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