Misinformation

During an election period, how can one protect oneself from misinformation on social media?

• By accepting information from social media without question

• By only reading headlines

• By cross-checking news with reputable sources

• By relying on information from anonymous sources

ways to combat misinformation -choose all that apply

• using common sense

• doing some fact checking

• insert into your feed to expose the misinformation

• "lateral reading" internet searches

select misleading details from complex studies and reports that support a certain position

• convey a neutral stance

• oversimplify

• fact checking

• cherry pick

Type of Misinformation/Fake News?

• Discredit

• Impersonation

• Emotion

• Conspiracy

How to tell if a news item might be fake? (may have more than one answer)

• When the headline is very scary

• It leads with a conspiracy theory

• When you cannot point out a source (anonymous)

• when it contains confusing content

What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation?

• Misinformation may be true or accurate, while disinformation is a total lie.

• Misinformation is false information that is not intended to harm while disinformation is false information that is intended to harm.

• Disinformation is true information while misinformation is widely beileved but may not be accurate.

• There is almost no difference between the two.

Where is a good place to go to check if something is true?

• Fact-checker sites like snopes.com or politifact.com

• Facebook or other respected social media site

• An opinion article on the internet

• a media outlet home page

Common types/examples of fake news are

• twisted facts

• fake quotes by real people

• conspiracy theories

• social media posts

false information meant to fool, entertain or mock, but can be harmful

• hyperbole

• satire

• false content

• fabricated content

This and the following 3 questions ask you to analyze the type of appeal or aim of the disinformation/fake news. What about this one?

• Discredit

• Trolling

• Emotion

• Conspiracy