Media and communication by

A Guardian article, arguing that robots scraping news sites for content could massively impact journalism.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-01 15:23:46 UTC

A Conversation article, exploring the way in which disinformation may disrupt democratic elections around the world in 2024, and whether it’s possible to counter its effect.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-14 14:25:23 UTC

A Future Perfect article, exploring the decision by Google to suspend its Gemini image generator, following complaints about the ethnicity of the historical characters it creates.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-14 14:37:31 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What problem faces programmers when they design AI image generators? How does the way you understand the meaning of bias determine the way you approach this conundrum? How could Google have avoided this problem in the first place? You can also explore this issue here (it’s everywhere in the media!) To wrap up: Why is it important that AI developers develop their philosophical abilities alongside their technical abilities in order to avoid violating ethical norms?

KEY TERMS Pushing bias, Racially diverse, Overcompensate, Philosophical problem, Conundrum, Responsible AI, Values, Historical depictions vs. dream worlds

A long Guardian article, looking at the work of Sefton Delmer, who successfully countered Nazi disinformation, and found ways of breaking into other people’s ‘echo chambers’.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-14 14:44:50 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Who was Sefton Delmer, and why does his work resonate with those looking to counter disinformation today? How did his approach differ from anti-propaganda information produced by organizations such as the BBC? How did he change his tactics with the station, Soldatensender Calais? What does the article mean when it says, “The real antidote to [disinformation] is not plying them with facts. It’s helping to fix the underlying lack of agency”? To wrap up: “You can’t shove “the truth” down people’s throats if they don’t want to hear it, but you can inspire them to have the motivation to care about facts in the first place.” How does the work of Sefton Delmer help us to learn how to do that?

KEY TERMS Disinformation, Alternative reality, Truth, Roles, Grievance narratives, Social tribe, Values

An FT article, which explores the phenomenon of publication bias, and how it can have serious consequences in terms of the way we perceive the world.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-14 15:17:02 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What problem does the article reveal about basing our understanding of Premier League football from the table? How does the article link this to ‘publication bias’? How can publication bias skew the way we understand the world - and what examples does the article offer of this? What solutions does the article suggest to off-set the effects of publication bias? To wrap up: “Nothing in life is as important as you think it is, while you are thinking about it.” How can grasping what Daniel Kahneman meant by this help us to overcome the effects of publication bias?

KEY TERMS Publication bias, Evidence, Misperception, “The focusing illusion”, Clear metrics

We're proud to work in partnership with the FT, to promote their free FT for Schools programme. Follow this link to sign up your school, and access this and other articles.

A New Humanist article, looking at how deep fakes are at the centre of the new disinformation wars.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:02:22 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How are deep fakes changing over time, and how does this link to current events in Ukraine? What are the limits of technological solutions to the problem - and how might the theory of knowledge course play a role? Overall, what responsibility do each of us have in helping to protect our information ecosystem?

KEY TERMS Disinformation wars, Deceptive synthetic media, Visceral reaction, Information ecosystem

A Smithsonian article, which explores how whilst the technology of deep fake videos is new, the intention to mislead viewers has always driven image-makers.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:02:33 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How can misleading photos evoke “that pathway to the future we aspire to”?

Key terms Malicious, Trust, Objective

This Atlantic article explores how language is used by media outlets, and how this feeds into the vocabulary of those who follow them.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:04:05 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How effective are political metaphors? What do they reveal about the care with which we should watch the media in order to gain objective knowledge about politics?

Key terms Metaphors, Manufactured, Propaganda, Information Silo, Alternative realities

This Vox article looks at the fact that Americans apparently consumed twice as much fake news in 2020 compared to 2019.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:04:13 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Can people’s consumption of fake news be measured objectively?

Key terms Political polarization, Censorship, Unreliable content

An FT article, looking at the importance of protecting ‘truth tellers’ in society, and facing up to facts about the world.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:04:21 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What examples does the article give of knowers finding the truth ‘unpleasant’, and reacting against those who embrace it? What drives this reaction? What techniques do modern politicians use to prevent us from accessing the truth? What can we do to overcome this? You can also check out this New Humanist article on the ‘rise of the truth industry’.

Key terms Truth, Unpleasant, Evidence

We're proud to work in partnership with the FT, to promote their free FT for Schools programme. Follow this link to sign up your school, and access this and other articles.

A Guardian article, asserting that despite our conviction to the contrary, we are not living in a “post-truth” world, and the US is not on the brink of a civil war.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:04:28 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What are the limitations of poll and survey data?

Key terms Poll and survey data, Evidence, Plausible explanation, Fake news, Different epistemic worlds

A Wired article, looking at whether it is possible to ‘vaccinate’ people against fake news.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:04:33 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What personal motivation does Sander van der Linden have for devoting himself to the prevention of misinformation? How do ‘psychological vaccines’ work - and what examples does the article give of them? Why does success in this field depend on the cooperation of social media companies (the “guardians of the online flow of information”), and how easy is it to gain this? To wrap up: In what ways is the TOK course a ‘vaccine against brainwashing’?

KEY TERMS Controlled exposure, Misinformation, Indoctrination, Cognitive immunizing agent, psychological vaccine, psychological vaccine

A Guardian story about the only foreign journalist embedded with Russian forces as they invade Ukraine.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:05:05 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE This article shows the difficulty of reporting conflicts, and highlights the startling fact that there is only one foreign journalist embedded with Russian forces. Get the facts of the story first - who is Lu Yuguang, and how has he managed to get the access he has with the invading army? How objective does he seem to be with his reports of what is going on? What does this reveal about the challenges of reporting on events such as these?

Key terms Exclusive access, Crooked assed, Objectivity

A Sky News video and article, looking at the debut of the world’s first AI newsreader, in Kuwait.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:05:11 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Who is ‘Fedha’, and what are students opinions of ‘her’? Is this the answer to approaching the world in an objective way? Compare Fedha to the ideas in this article - which point of view do students agree with? Overall, do events and issues going on in the world require a ‘human touch’ in order to communicate them effectively, or is emotion always an enemy to objectivity?

KEY TERMS New and innovative, Represents

A (hilarious) Guardian article, exploring a range of AI-generated news websites, and assessing their accuracy.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:05:16 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What sites did Matthew Cantor investigate in order to write the article? What characteristics did the sites have that undermined their credibility? What dangers does Cantor identify about the way these sites convey information (hint: refer to the ‘AI wild west’)? Overall, how should the problems associated with AI-generated journalism inform the way we construct our knowledge about the world?

KEY TERMS False information, Cycle of fake news, Glimpses of true humanity, Trust, AI wild west

A New York Times story, exploring the stark difference in the way the Greek migrant boat sinking, and the Titan submersible implosion, were reported.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:05:22 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Why have many people commented on the role of status and race in determining the way the two stories were told in the media? What examples does the article give to indicate that it is not only status and race that leads to coverage in the news? What point is made about the fact that we find it easier to feel compassion for individual victims - and what is the relevance of this? How does ‘compassion fatigue’ affect the way we process the news? To wrap up: How do we ensure that we remain objective and compassionate about tragic events and issues going on in the world?

KEY TERMS Class and ethnicity, Unequal treatment, Degree of familiarity, Compassion fatigue

A CNN article, looking at the decision by several major news agencies to ‘kill’ the latest photo of Kate Middleton and her children because of suspicions that the image was manipulated.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:05:27 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Why did several news agencies ‘kill’ the image of Kate Middleton and her children, released to mark Mothers’ Day? What does this indicate about the “stringent” rules followed by photo agencies and news organizations concerning image-use, and why do they have these rules? How is AI making verification of images increasingly difficult to follow? Why has this story fuelled online speculation about what is going on? To wrap up: How should we decide which images to trust to tell us the truth about the world?

KEY TERMS Manipulation concerns, Evidence, Inconsistency, Stringent rules, Trust, Rumors, Speculation

A Guardian article, which suggests that the arts provide us with more insight into what’s going on in Ukraine than usual news bulletins.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:05:32 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What don’t the news headlines tell us about the war in Ukraine? What insights can we gain by looking at the work of Ukrainian artists, writers, playwrights and filmmakers? How does Charlotte Higgins challenge the idea that art is “less immediate and instructive” than the news? Students can also check out this poem published in Sapiens, in which poet-anthropologist Josh Yarden attempts to bridge social and geopolitical divides via the arts. To wrap up: “Human “reality” does not consist only in the external world going about its rational business, but in our imaginations.” (Deborah Levy) Do you agree that to fully understand reality, we need to consult artistic as well as news sources?

KEY TERMS Homes and hearts, Behind the lines, Immediate and instructive, Witness to experience

A BBC article and video, looking at the way President Zelensky adapts his language and message according to the audience he is dealing with.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:10:27 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How and why does he use ‘undiplomatic language’ to communicate with other world leaders and parliaments? What other means of communication does he employ other than words? How does he tailor his message, and the way the message is delivered, to fit his audience? How does his background help him to make an intimate connection with those listening to him?

Key terms Highly tailored, Visceral, Undiplomatic language, Perspective

A Guardian article about the use of the ‘dead cat’ tactic in British politics.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:10:35 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What is the relationship between language and politics?

Key terms Dead cat

A Vox article, considering the way in which the word ‘brunch’ has become a politicized term.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:10:43 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How do words become politicized?

Key terms Meme, Insular mindset

A Time article, looking at the debate over whether to rename India ‘Bharat’, and the political motivations behind this change.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:10:53 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Why is there talk of a name-change to India? What is the historical background to changing the country’s name? From the information here, do you think this is an example of a country distancing itself from its colonial past and finding a more ‘appropriate’ name, or a “nationalist push” that indicates “pettiness & intolerance”? To wrap up: What is conveyed by a country’s name, and what relationship do they have with the management of power?

KEY TERMS Controversy, Nationalist push, Colonial past, Appropriate, Intolerance, Authentic

LINKS TO Politics, Language, History

A Sky News report, discussing New York mayor Eric Adams’s use of audio deep fakes to make promotional calls in languages he doesn’t speak.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:10:59 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How has mayor Eric Adams been using AI tools to communicate with residents? Why have some people called this ‘unethical’ and ‘Orwellian’? What is your position on the story - is his use of AI justified? To wrap up: Where is the line between AI-usage that facilitates our ability to communicate with others, and AI-usage that misleads us when we communicate with others?

KEY TERMS Robocalls, Unethical, Orwellian

A Huffington Post article exploring the rise of a new social media platform, which claims to offer users an ‘unbiased’ environment in which to air their views.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:12:44 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Students can begin by thinking about the extent to which we can retrieve and post objective knowledge on current social media platforms. Does the need to prevent the dissemination of hateful and harmful opinions undermine this objectivity? Is there a need to do this? Is Parler the answer to these problems? Are objective social media platforms attainable?

Key terms Unbiased, Tech tyrant, Free speech

A Conversation article, considering whether misinformation is not just factually wrong, but ethically wrong as well.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:12:56 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What is epistemic humility, and how might this help us to approach the world objectively? What are WK Clifford’s two main points about belief, and how do they lead us to the conclusion that believing in something with insufficient evidence is ethically unacceptable? Do you agree that “developing and nurturing critical thinking is an ethical responsibility”? Overall, do students believe that we’re on a moral mission as TOK teachers and learners?

Key terms Disinformation and misinformation, Epistemology, Truth, Responsibility, Ethically wrong, Epistemic humility, Insufficient evidence

A BBC article, considering whether photo and video manipulation on social media should be regulated by the authorities.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:13:05 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What do apps such as FaceTune and Perfect365 allow us to do? Why do some people argue that these are “unhealthy” - and how have some countries (such as France and Norway) responded to them? What are the counterarguments offered by tech firms and influencers? Which side of the argument do students belong on? Overall, does the use of digitally manipulated imagery undermine our ability to understand the world objectively? What ethical obligations (if any) should be applied to the way we use social media?

KEY TERMS Face-altering filters, Photo manipulation, Unhealthy, Unrealistic, Transparency, Distorted perceptions

A Vox article, looking at the way misinformation proliferates during major crises - focusing on the Israel-Hamas war.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:13:19 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What reasons does the author of the article give for people ‘flocking’ to social media during times of crisis? Why is it difficult for journalists to verify or confirm reports posted on social media? What are the implications of many social media platforms choosing ‘engagement over reliability’? What four tips does the article offer, and how effective do you think these are? Students can also explore this article, which looks at the case of two children who were killed in the conflict - and whose deaths social media users falsely insisted had been faked. To wrap up: How do we balance our natural sense of outrage at what’s going on in the world with a responsibility to ensure we don’t fuel online misinformation about events?

KEY TERMS Trust, Verification, Misinformation, False confirmations, Engagement vs. reliability, SIFT

A Euronews story about the world’s first AI influencer, Aitana López, who earns €10,000 per month for her ‘work’.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:13:27 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Who is Aitana López, and why/how was she created? What are your impressions of her - specifically, would you be persuaded to buy products, services, and places she is promoting? What are the ethical implications of online influencers becoming artificially-created? To wrap up: Where is the line between authenticity and fakeness within the online influencer industry? Does this question matter?

KEY TERMS Reality, Story, Vision of the brands, Blank canvas

A Conversation article, which explores how we become more objective when we use social media with someone from an opposing perspective.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-28 10:13:36 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What example does the article open with of how different perspectives lead us to either accept or reject online information? Why does misinformation matter, and what examples does the article give of how it manifests itself? What are the difficulties of researching the way people process online information, and how has the author of the article tried to overcome these? How does To wrap up: “Understanding that different perspectives determine the way we process information is the first step in overcoming the challenge of online misinformation.” Do you agree?

KEY TERMS Fact check, Perspective, Cultural identity, Political polarization, Bringing together people, Contentiousness, Experimental situations

A BBC Future article, looking at how we become desensitized to awful events in the news, and how to avoid this happening.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-04-12 07:15:35 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What is ‘habituation’, and why does the article argue it can be harmful to us as we try to make sense of world events? What different forms can habituation take? How could political leaders take advantage of habituation? To wrap up: What are our personal responsibilities when it comes to resisting the normalization of violence and conflict?

KEY TERMS Habituation, Lead the news, Novelty, Zoom out, Longer term, Slow violence vs. slow resistance

A Guardian article, telling the story of a reality show in which women competed to date Prince Harry - and what it tells us about brainwashing.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-05-02 13:17:22 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What was ‘I Wanna Marry Harry’? In what way was the truth about this TV show much more complicated than it seemed? How were the contestants ‘brainwashed’ - and what insights does this give us into how people are manipulated into joining cults? Could the contestants have taken any steps to resist the manipulation, and how do you think you would have fared in their situation? To wrap up: What steps can we take to avoid being brainwashed by disinformation?

KEY TERMS Ridiculed and belittled, Truth, Cut off from the outside world, Brainwashed

A Conversation article, offering seven steps for working out whether a knowledge claim is actually advocating a conspiracy theory.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-06-05 11:46:52 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How easy is it to answer this question: “What would it take for you to believe your perception was wrong?” How will your response to this question affect your ability to distinguish theories based on valid evidence from ones based on conspiracies?

KEY TERMS Misleading narratives, Evidence, Allegation, Tangled webs, Motive, Red flags, Transparent, Supernatural

An Independent article, looking at how Michael Schumacher’s family has just won a legal case against a media organization that published an ‘interview’ with him.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-06-05 12:06:18 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What are the ethical limits of using AI to generate knowledge about the world, and how should we decide where they are?

KEY TERMS Exclusive interview, AI chatbot, Tasteless and misleading

theory_of_knowledge — 2026-06-08 10:16:17 UTC

Check out our key concepts here, which will help you to apply a critical thinking lens to this topic, and articulate your ideas about it. These concepts are highlighted.