Library News
Is it credible or not? Where do you get your news?
Posted on March 8th, 2019
American Tobacco Company [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Despite the fact that more Americans are acknowledging the presence of false information surrounding current affairs, this has not stopped misinformation from being read and shared through social media. A December 2016 survey by the Pew Research Center suggests that 23 percent of U.S. adults have shared fake news, knowingly or unknowingly, with friends and others.
The term “fake news”–or “false news,” as Facebook prefers to refer to it due to the political context of the former–has in the past referred to news satire or parody; however, according to Science magazine, in recent years, it has come to be defined primarily as fabricated information that mimics news media content in form but not in organizational process or intent. These false outlets lack the news media’s editorial norms and processes for ensuring the accuracy and credibility of information, instead opting to spread misinformation (false or misleading information) and/or disinformation (false information that is purposely spread to deceive people).
Fake news has drawn recent attention in a political context, but it has also promulgated misinformation about topics such as vaccination, nutrition, and stock values. In today’s often combative environment, the most important thing to remember is that fake news is not news you disagree with.
Recently, Booth Library received several newly published volumes of the series Opposing Viewpoints that touch upon these current issues and explore varying opinions in a balanced pros/cons debate. The series attempts to encourage critical thinking and issue awareness by providing opposing views on contentious issues. Below you can find a description of each title, as well as a list of fact-checking websites and browser plug-ins to help recognize false information and prevent it from further polluting our society.
- Media Bias/Fact Check
- FactCheck.org
- Politifact
- Snopes.com
- Washington Post Fact Checker
- Hoaxy
- BS Detector (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
- Fake News Alert (Chrome)
- This is Fake (Chrome, for Facebook feed)
Hacking and Freedom of Information:
We know there are white hat hackers and black hat hackers, but what about the gray area in between? Some hackers consider themselves activists and have justified their cyberattacks on media, political figures, universities, and even governments as a search for truth. Is information indeed free in a democracy? Does uncovering secrets that the public may have a right to know justify security breaches? Are WikiLeaks and the Anonymous group providing an important service to citizens, or are they traitors? Through a progression of authoritative viewpoints, readers will learn that there are no easy answers to this debate.
Every time we check our feeds we create safety bubbles around ourselves. Thanks to technological algorithms, we are living an increasingly narrow existence, one in which the news we read, the products we purchase, and the people we interact with are tailor-made for each of us. We might feel informed and comfortable, but are we isolating ourselves from anything outside our bubble? Are online filters just an efficient way to connect, or do they spell the end of democracy? Anyone who reads this book will understand the potential dangers of a society whose assumptions are never challenged.
Politics and Journalism in a Post-Truth World:
Fake news. Alternative facts. Even before those terms were coined, we had already moved to a post-truth reality. Due to a number of driving forces, we have evolved into a society that values emotion and personal belief more than it does objective facts. More Americans are willing to believe false stories as long as they match up with their own personal and political beliefs. How will this affect our elections, journalistic standards, and news habits? Can we ever go back? The diverse viewpoints in this volume attempt to explain and predict the state of our union.
The Fifth Estate: Extreme Viewpoints from Alternative Media:
The influence of what is known as The Fifth Estate, which is viewpoints and journalism generated outside of the mainstream press, has risen thanks to the emergence of blogs and social media. How effective are these alternate sources in raising public consciousness, changing government policy, and stirring grassroots movements? Are they held to the same standards as mainstream journalism? In this age of fake news, WikiLeaks, and the president’s so-called war on the press, readers will find the varied and provocative viewpoints that are explained in this book incredibly relevant and enlightening.
Is a free and open internet a hallmark of democracy? Net neutrality advocates are fighting for government regulation and protection of this relatively new frontier. They believe that the internet is now a basic human need and argue that defined rules are essential to the protection of customers and to the encouragement of innovation. Detractors worry that too much government oversight discourages innovation and investment. The viewpoints in this informative anthology are written by experts with a variety of perspectives about a complex topic that encompasses many fields, including technology, business, and the Constitution.
Source:
Mitchell, A., Barthel, M., & Holcomb, J. (2016, December 15). Many Americans Believe Fake News Is Sowing Confusion. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.org/2016/12/15/many-americans-believe-fake-news-is-sowing-confusion/
