Living in an age when critical-thinking skills are increasingly hard to find, anything acting as a bulwark against the ignorance and stupidity that seems to inform public 'debate' is welcome. Natalie Turvey writes about a weapon that sounds promising.
While misinformation, memes, clickbait and outright lies proliferate across our online feeds, especially in this election season, Canadians are not powerless to fight back.Help in fighting these daunting numbers is now available:
There’s no question it can be difficult to distinguish between fact-based real news and fake news and those who want to mislead and confuse us are becoming more sophisticated every day.Research shows that:
-90 per cent of Canadians admit to falling for fake news
-Fake news stories spread six times faster than the truth
-Only 33 per cent of Canadians regularly try to confirm if the news we see is real
-40 per cent of Canadians report finding it difficult to distinguish between truth and misinformation in the news
-More than half of respondents (53 per cent) have come across stories recently where they believe facts were twisted to push an agenda
The Canadian Journalism Foundation has launched a campaign called “Doubt it? Check it. Challenge it.” The campaign aims to give Canadians the skills and tools to combat fake news and information. We have built tools and tips to empower people and it all lives on DoubtIt.ca.Having checked it out, I can attest that the site offers a wealth of resources to determine whether or not 'news' is genuine, some of which are common sense, and others are resources that many may be unaware of. There is even a fake news quiz. (I took it and scored 9/10)
Essentially, Doubtit.ca revolves some simple steps:
[F]irst, if a story doesn’t seem right, trust that instinct; second, check it out, look for other sources to verify; and third, if it is fake news, call it out.The final responsibility we have, if we are at all active on social media, is to identify fake news when we find it. I have done that many times on Facebook (but I always like to frame it tactfully so as not to offend the poster).
Of the three steps, the first — Doubt it? — may be the most important. More than half of us have come across stories we think are fake. So, our Spidey senses are working. Often, we just need to take a breath before we repost something and ask ourselves “does this feel right?”
If it doesn’t, there are simple ways to “check it.” First, read beyond the headline. In today’s news, headlines don’t always match the content of the story. They can be much more provocative, to attract clicks, than the story that follows.
Next, take a look at what surrounds the story you’re reading. Do the other stories on the site seem far-fetched? Are they satirical, or all about conspiracies? If so, you’ve found your answer.
And finally, if you doubt a story’s claims, do a simple online search to see if anyone else is reporting it. If it’s true, those claims will be covered by other, reputable news sources. The same goes for images. You can search those online too, and you’ll quickly learn whether the image in that meme is real or fake.
As we enter the crunch point for our election, detecting and exposing fake news is paramount to the health of our democracy. If we remain silent, we give consent to lies, distortions and malicious manipulation. That is something none of us could ever be proud of.
.. the reality is..
ReplyDeleteAny bit of garbage fluff 'registers'.. no matter how outlandish. Once its in your head.. its in. But your comment about 'critical thinking' is accurate.. I can read Montreal Simon and follow with Mound of Sound.. I apply my filter accordingly.. one is more art expression one is more science based.. I tend to seek out original sources, reference based, peer review.. and attempt to not let stuff baffle me.. Ideally I find varied looks or angles to a topic or event. But I accept than many, most won't or cannot afford such luxury.. the time it may take to winnow out and form a rationale perspective.. Does my son ? I doubt it.. so how does he or his wife form their perspectives, their vote ? Osmosis ? Yes, they see my tweets, Facebook posts.. I must ask.. I do ask friends.. without even asking re their vote or preferences..
While I have probably twice passed on FB something that turned out to be false, Sal, I have learned from it and practiced some of the suggestions on the above-mentioned website. I wonder if part of the problem with young people's discernment might be that they tend not to subscribe to traditional newspapers, and hence don't understand fully the legitimacy that such journals have? That, of course, is not to say that the older generation is somehow gifted in separating the wheat from the chaff.
Delete.. a 2nd note.. I no longer read a thing fom Ezra Levant, Lord Black, Rex Murphy, Goldstein, Gunter, Licia Corbella, Poilievre, Joe Oliver.. its just inflammatory opinionation.. junk noise, of zero nutritional value.. meant to cause some sort of imbalance.. discord. I don't need it anywhere in my head. I instead seek information, fact, rationale, passion, perspective.. Jon Krakauer atop Everest is matchless perspective.. Ezra Levant screetching is.. well, screetching.. the two are simply not comparable.. one should not need a discerning mind.. to simply eliminate Ezra's rants.. I do not need to know what he 'thinks'.. I am at the same stage re Andrew Scheer..
ReplyDelete.. on another note, perhaps off topic.. I have grave concerns re the proliferation of 'politican polls' and re the data collection of political parties. They seem above the law re the voter data.. and who says its just voting age data.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't I easily access any data collected under my name, social security number, RCMP clearance, work history, parentage, current address, bank account, credit card use.. hell, dog food purchase ?? Passwords ? Why can Hamish or Gerald call this up instantly.
No I don't wanna look down your backtrail, or Mound or Owen.. Like zero interest.. none o my business. I keep a secret better than anyone I know.. and they know it. . don't wanna rattle or shake or feel my Christmas presents either..
The RCMP should seize the current electoral voter databases.. and lock em away.. then Trudeau should advance a law allowing us.. to see the data they have collected.. and the source of such data, begged borrowed stolen or legit (whatever legit means anymore) .. whatever
Political parties cannot be allowed to remain 'above the law' .. that's plain ridiculous.. and sets the table for corruption and sellout. And here we are. I suspect Conservative Party operatives and who knows who else.. have probed this household.. voting record.. and all OUR PERSONAL & PRIVATE data.. This disgusts me.. outrage.. and what are my options ? My single vote ? How does a political party deserve such license to invade.. to filter my data via 3rd party black ops.. try to send me to the wrong polling station ? Robo or Live call us into submission ?
I think there is a class action lawsuit here.. I do not abide
What hides in those databanks.. managed by datawanks needs 'light of day' revelation.. Trust me.. it will not be pretty.. it will be volcanic
You raise a very important issue that I doubt few have pondered, Sal. Time to stir the pot publicly?
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