Fake News & Responsibility by

We gravitate to self-affirming information...

vannier1 — 2017-03-07 01:20:55 UTC

One of the challenges of working against an onslaught of fake news is that it takes effort to work against it and people want to do what is EASY. (VD)

"Psychologists and other social scientists have repeatedly shown that when confronted with diverse information choices, people rarely act like rational, civic-minded automatons. Instead, we are roiled by preconceptions and biases, and we usually do what feels easiest— we gorge on information that confirms our ideas, and we shun what does not" (Manjoo, 2016). How the internet is loosening our grip on the truth

Fact-Checking Won't Save Us From FAKE News: Illustrations that depict the Great Moon Hoax, a historical example of fake news.

marie_mello — 2017-03-13 22:28:51 UTC

(Brook Borel, 2017) (MM)

RE: Fact-checking Won't Save Us....

vannier1 — 2017-03-16 16:07:37 UTC

Great share, Marie! I found the idea of power as a factor in creating and sharing fake news interesting and relevant. This idea of sharing information that is not only (or at all) accurate, but entertaining and that engages conversation really strikes home to me. Is there a reason why someone like Samantha Bee or John Oliver are comedic when they present news (and are so popular)? Should news and media be so focused on being entertaining, or strictly focused on truth? Will people consume media that is not entertaining? What does that mean as creators and consumers for responsibility - are we responsible for creating and sharing entertaining media or strictly truthful information? (VD) (Fact-checking article)

Supergirl as a reporter

vannier1 — 2017-03-16 16:21:54 UTC

I was watching this week's CW episode of Supergirl. Her secret identity, Kara Danvers, works as a reporter for CatCo. In this week's episode, a list of registered aliens (as in, outer space aliens, not immigrants) is stolen and soon the aliens are captured (though they are living here legally). Supergirl wants to alert the aliens living in her city so they can protect themselves, but can not reveal her source of information (herself, as Supergirl, and the top secret government agency she works with that works with aliens). Her editor refuses to let her run a story on the stolen list without multiple sources on the record. It was frustrating as the viewer, but also completely understandable from her supervisor's position. This conversation of fake news and responsibility to one's workplace, readers and the world of media in general, to be authentic and thorough, was timely and interesting. (VD) (Image Source)

Entertainment or Truth Telling:

marie_mello — 2017-03-16 17:05:21 UTC

As consumers of news media, people are usually drawn into the flashy headlines that are sprawled out in-front of them. Fake news exist because real, authentic news is harder to sell. Many people are looking for quick satisfaction, and truly want to believe whatever they are reading.
(Selling Fake News) (MM)

Fake News Checklist:

marie_mello — 2017-03-16 17:45:23 UTC

(MM)

RE: We gravitate to self -affirming information..

marie_mello — 2017-03-16 22:51:56 UTC

I can relate to gorging on information that confirms my ideas and shunning what does not. I have read things that have caught my eye with a flashy headline. I find myself engaged in whatever is being told to me and many others. I find myself believing many things I read, and then telling people about it. When I go back and look for research pertaining to the topic at hand, I have found I can not always find what I am looking for. Unfortunately in todays society it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between reality and fiction. (MM)

Snapper sums up the responsibility of media production and the press for Supergirl

vannier1 — 2017-03-17 17:57:02 UTC

(VD) (click for video)

Re: Fake News Checklist

vannier1 — 2017-03-17 18:03:27 UTC

CHECK THE DATE! CHECK THE DATE! CHECK THE DATE! I have seen this a lot (and have probably fallen victim to it myself) on social media. (VD)

Entertainment and Self-Affirmation

vannier1 — 2017-03-17 18:05:29 UTC

Some thoughts on how and why fake news works.

Responsibility of Media

vannier1 — 2017-03-17 18:08:23 UTC

Responsibility of Audience

vannier1 — 2017-03-17 18:10:12 UTC

RE: Entertainment or Truth Telling

vannier1 — 2017-03-17 18:32:45 UTC

The example used in this article (students had requested changes to the curriculum in a philosophy course - this was fairly benign, but presented as students requesting removal of famous philosophers because they were white) made me really think about headlines. Do people read more than the headline? How often have you seen a response on social media in regard to a title of an article, while not addressing the information in the article itself? Is it irresponsible to write titles that grab attention, while misrepresenting the content of the article? (VD)

NPR: We tracked down a fake news creator in the suburbs. Here's what we learned.

vannier1 — 2017-03-17 18:41:16 UTC

This is interesting. This fake news creator felt he had a responsibility to expose alt-right conservative viewpoints by writing fake news. Certainly an interesting take on responsibility in regard to digital authorship. Do we have bigger responsibilities (to our political affiliation, to our belief system, to our way of life)? (VD) Article

Media Literacy an Fake News:

marie_mello — 2017-03-18 23:04:15 UTC

What can we do as educators to guide our students to be able to distinguish real news from fake news? I found this video to be very informative. It helps teachers find different inventive ways to help their students distinguish between real and fake news. The many strategies that are presented can be used by many grades. (MM)
Mind/Shift

RE: Supergirl critiqu

marie_mello — 2017-03-18 23:45:01 UTC

I love how her boss tells (supergirl), "Rules are there for a reason...to make sure you get the story right." She thought running the story was the right thing to do, even though she knew that her boss didn't want her to. If there are rules in place, then why does fake news exist? Why isn't everyone held accountable for the misleading information they release? (MM)

RE: Fake News Creator

marie_mello — 2017-03-19 00:34:22 UTC

I love that the NPR looked into finding the source of Dis-information media inc. If Justin Cohler whom is a fake news creator, is proud to distribute fake news, then why does he use an alias (Alan Montgomery)? If you are distributing something, shouldn't you stand by what you are distributing? I understand that fake news exist because people are easily entertained and ready to eat up whatever story they are being fed, but when do we as the consumer say enough is enough? (MM)

Watch-out for Bullshit:

marie_mello — 2017-03-19 01:35:16 UTC

(TRUMP) (MM)

Consequences of Fake news:

marie_mello — 2017-03-19 21:34:38 UTC

After reading many articles, I've realized that the authors that produce and distribute fake news do not care about the impact that it has on the people who are at the center of the story. It appears that our society has come to the point where journalists (I use this term lightly), are out for quick money instead of upholding the dignity of their profession.
(Fake News Effects) (MM)

Is Fake News a Weapon:

marie_mello — 2017-03-19 22:42:07 UTC

Some people call fake news the "Weaponization of social media" The media takes completely false information and puts it out there on social media sites for everyone to see. Damage is being done so freely with no accountability. The people releasing the false information are protected by the first amendment. (cbsnews) (MM)

RE: RE: Supergirl Critique

vannier1 — 2017-03-20 16:10:03 UTC

Some thoughts on why media creators aren't being held accountable:

1. They aren't "caught". Their news isn't recognized as fake.
2. They are anonymous/ nonprofessional (such as the writer from the NPR interview I posted). They have no one to answer to about accountability.
3. Self-serving circles of information - those who share information they believe in, with other people who believe it, and so on... If it serves your own purposes, why question it? (And of course, you SHOULD question it - it's just more difficult when it serves you.) (VD)

RE: Media Literacy as Fake News

vannier1 — 2017-03-20 16:19:40 UTC

I love the ways these teachers decided to handle the issues of fake news. One of the reasons I wanted to enter into librarianship was because I recognize how important critical thinking skills are for EVERYONE! I think school librarians can do a lot to incorporate media literacy into their information literacy teachings. Being able to find reliable sources of information touches so many aspects of our lives (politics on Facebook, recipes on Pinterest, googling which foods are OK for your dog to eat....) and these skills really translate across the board. (VD)

RE: Consequences of Fake News

vannier1 — 2017-03-20 16:35:26 UTC

There is a struggle, I think, with media creation and censorship, and writing and censorship. By protecting people from information, we could simultaneously be censoring information. Who gets to decide that? How do we balance that? Is some fake news in the name of humor OK (like The Onion)? I think the best thing we can do as consumers is to educate ourselves and to personally and professionally hold media creators to a high standard. And to educate your students, too! (VD)

Bees news

2024-07-23 02:50:15 UTC

I am the new owner of this group and would love to hear about what you know about bees

10 facts about bees

2024-07-23 02:52:44 UTC

10 amazing facts about honeybees

Honeybees can recognize human faces. ...
Honeybees dance to communicate. ...
Honeybees can fly up to 15 miles per hour. ...
A honeybee colony can contain up to 60,000 bees. ...
Honeybees have five eyes. ...
Honeybees can communicate with other bees using pheromones. ...
Honeybees can see ultraviolet light.

2024-07-23 02:59:11 UTC

Will won’t let trump win

T

2024-07-23 02:59:31 UTC

Trump is a bum head