Telling Fact from Fiction in the Digital World
At a time when Americans’ trust in the mass media is at its lowest point in more than five decades, and with four in ten young adults in the U.S. regularly getting their news on TikTok, it is more important than ever to empower yourself to consume news and information intelligently.
Media Literacy Resources
Media literacy is a "necessary, inevitable, and realistic response to the complex, ever-changing electronic environment and communication cornucopia surrounding us." (National Association for Media Literacy Education)
Here are some tools and reference materials to improve your awareness of problematic content and navigate the constant stream of information more confidently.
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The American Psychological Association defines misinformation as false or inaccurate information, or "getting the facts wrong."
Disinformation is false information which is "deliberately intended to mislead – intentionally misstating the facts."
The spread of both misinformation and disinformation has serious consequences for our democracy; the first step to combatting it is being able to recognize it.
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Rutgers University Libraries: Evaluating Information and Identifying Information & Media Bias
These research support tools include tutorials, quizzes, and videos that cover the basics of evaluating resources for authority, accuracy, and other criteria.
- It is a good idea to explore a variety of sources when checking the news, as long as you are aware of a source's potential bias. You can check a media outlet's bias using the Ad Fontes' Chart, which rates media sources in terms of political bias and reliability. Access the interactive chart here.
- Cat Park Video Game: this is a free, mobile-friendly, web-browser-based game to explore common disinformation tactics and techniques. It can be played in 10-15 minutes.
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Speaking of Psychology: How to recognize and combat “fake news,” with Dolores Albarracin, PhD (Podcast from the American Psychological Association).
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Fact-Checking Tools:
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Politifact: a nonpartisan fact-checking journalism site, this is run by the Poynter Institute. Assigns Truth-O-Meter ratings to statements and claims in the media.
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FactCheck.org: a nonpartisan project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, this is a platform for voters that "aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics."
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The Washington Post Fact Checker: focuses primarily on political stories and events.
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Snopes: investigates and explains misinformation and rumors, including topics such as political news and entertainment.
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- Allsides: This news platform seeks to "free people from filter bubbles so they can better understand the world – and each other." Here one can find top stories on a specific issue from the Left, Right, and Center of the political spectrum. It also provides Media Bias Ratings for over 1,400 media outlets.
- ProCon from Britannica: This site helps readers develop a balanced view by exploring multiple perspectives around important political and cultural issues. It is also a great place to find sources for additional reading on a given topic.
- Ground News : Acknowledging that it is not possible to consult a single news story for a well-rounded view on important issues, this site provides allows users to compare headlines and perspectives between news sources on stories happening in real time.
