This guide breaks down the processes of how mis- and dis-information works, and how it is able to use emotion and deception to spread across social media, the internet, and the press.
Stop – Verify – Correct
When you encounter a piece of news that is shocking, outrageous, emotive and visceral, always stop to assess the situation.
Once you’ve thought about it critically, its best to verify if its true before doing anything else.
Finally, if you find that the story, news piece, image, video, blog or social media post, is accurate you can help by sharing it, or if its inaccurate, take action to counter and correct it.
Stop
Consider our own biases
It is important to be conscious of our own biases and prejudices when approaching a piece of information. Are we predisposed to believe one side over the other?
Be sceptical
The internet has triggered a democratisation of the media – anyone can share news and information and make it look authoritative. The balance between opinion and fact is tipping towards the former, with the boundary becoming blurred. This is only accelerated by new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Disinformation and fake news depend on people uncritically sharing information they find online – often targeted at them by an algorithm, or even a hostile actor. The best way to avoid being a vector for fake news and disinformation is to be actively sceptical and to apply discernment to all information that comes our way.
Ask ‘how do I feel?’
A lot of disinformation is created to provoke an emotional reaction by speaking to our sense of outrage, morality or political values. Some of it is created as ‘clickbait’ while some is intended as parody or a joke. Take a moment to consider whether the information seems designed to make you angry or worried, rather than conveying the facts.
Ask ‘in whose interest’?
Balanced news reporting will focus primarily on giving you a factual account of events and allowing you to draw your own conclusions. If a source seems to be leading you to a conclusion, ask in whose interest it is for the story to be skewed in that direction.
Verify
Use trusted sources
There is no such thing as an entirely dispassionate or neutral source. It is always a good sign if a news outlet lets you know upfront what its point of view is. A good place to start is the library – the wide range of news materials and databases made available through your local public, school, college, university or health library are likely to have been assessed in advance for their commitment to balance, fair reporting, and their use of evidence.
Read the whole story
It is important to go beyond the headline and to read the whole of a story before sharing it. This is particularly important in today’s 24-hour news cycle, in which editorial is recycled, updated and amended throughout the day.
Find supporting sources
Corroboration is a key element of journalism, and indeed of providing good information in all walks of life. If you are sceptical about a piece of news or information, it is helpful to seek other trusted sources which confirm what the original is saying. This is not foolproof, however – there are plenty of examples of disinformation that is supported by a wide range of apparently authoritative sources.
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Apply critical judgement, including to images and videos
Information professionals know how easily images and video can be faked or manipulated, especially with new AI tools. Seek to verify sources of images and videos, including utilising AI in response.
Correct
Share better information
Once you have verified a piece of information, you can act as a ‘node’ in the network which shares and promotes it. Part of the problem is that fake news and disinformation tend to spread virally and incredibly quickly, while corrections tend to reach a smaller audience and move more slowly. You can be part of combatting fake news rapidly by helping to wash better information through the system.
Call out disinformation
Where you spot a piece of fake news or disinformation being shared – for example by friends, family or colleagues on social media platforms – don’t be afraid to politely call it out, but always provide a link to the information or evidence that proves it is false (such as an article from a reputable fact-checking site).
Be a trusted source
Libraries are widely trusted as sources of authoritative and impartial information (noting that no source is ever ‘neutral’). Librarians and information professional can assemble information, displays, reading materials and other sources which provide a fair and balanced view on what is happening around an issue. This is an important service that you can provide for your users.
Educate others
Librarians and information professionals are ideally placed to educate people about fake news and disinformation and to help them develop their digital, media and information literacy.
Sites that give you a critical eye on media:
Read the Full Fact guide – How to spot misleading videos
Read the Full Fact guide – How to spot misleading images
Read the Full Fact guide – How to spot misleading headlines
Further Resources
The UK Government’s Resist 2 – counter-disinformation toolkit
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