How Photos Fuel the Spread of Fake News
Even rudimentary skills aren't required to create, say, a meme of Seddique Mateen, whose son Omar Mateen fatally shot 48 people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that allegedly shows him visiting Hillary Clinton’s office at the State Department this year. Never mind that Clinton resigned from the job three years before. Photos play a key role in making fake news stories go viral by bolstering the emotional tenor of the lie. They elicit an emotional response, which makes it far more likely that someone will click the link, then share it. “That emotion may be anger, outrage or joy,” says Mandy Jenkins, the head of news at social content provider Storyful. “It triggers something in the readers that says, ‘I have to share this with everyone I know who likes the things I like.’” Such images can reinforce existing prejudices. These dirty tricks work because most people believe a photograph represents reality.
Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
Help Save The ENDANGERED From EXTINCTION! The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus Rare photo of the elusive tree octopus The Pacific Northwest tree octopus (Octopus paxarbolis) can be found in the temperate rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula on the west coast of North America. An intelligent and inquisitive being (it has the largest brain-to-body ratio for any mollusk), the tree octopus explores its arboreal world by both touch and sight. Reaching out with one of her eight arms, each covered in sensitive suckers, a tree octopus might grab a branch to pull herself along in a form of locomotion called tentaculation; or she might be preparing to strike at an insect or small vertebrate, such as a frog or rodent, or steal an egg from a bird's nest; or she might even be examining some object that caught her fancy, instinctively desiring to manipulate it with her dexterous limbs (really deserving the title "sensory organs" more than mere "limbs",) in order to better know it. Why It's Endangered
How to identify fake news | Rubber Duck Media
The illustration above, which shows reporters carrying various forms of fake news, was published way back in 1894 by pioneering cartoonist Frederick Burr Opper. He would have been blissfully unaware at the time of its creation, but he had just uncovered a powerful phrase that, 123 years later, would become word of the year for 2017 and which would define the credibility and legitimacy of the news, mass media and journalism throughout the 21st century. Rubber Duck Media explains below how to identify fake news and what can be done to prevent it spreading further and doing more damage. The dissemination of fabricated information designed to mislead, push a narrative or agenda, or to simply attract attention for its own sake, is not a new concept by any means. In the form of propaganda, it has been the weapon of choice for a succession of governments and powerful demagogues throughout history to obtain and hold onto power, whilst simultaneously suppressing any dissent.
Lesson Idea: Media Literacy and Fake News
Overview: In a world filled with rapid pace communication through a variety of platforms, we have an abundance of information available at our fingertips. Discerning fact from fiction can be complex. Knowing the source can be challenging, and the messages being delivered can be received in different ways, effecting certain populations of people as well as our country. Procedure: STEP 1. STEP 2. Handout: Media Literacy and Fake News (Google Doc) "Fake News" Sites and Effects on Democracy (4:44) New York Magazine's Max Read discusses his piece examining the rise of “fake news” and whether the internet is a reliable tool for furthering democracy. STEP 3.
What these teens learned about the Internet may shock you!
When the AP United States history students at Aragon High School in San Mateo California, scanned the professionally designed pages of www.minimumwage.com, most concluded that it was a solid, unbiased source of facts and analysis. They noted the menu of research reports, graphics and videos, and the “About” page describing the site as a project of a “nonprofit research organization” called the Employment Policies Institute. But then their teacher, Will Colglazier, demonstrated how a couple more exploratory clicks—critically, beyond the site itself—revealed that the Employment Policies Institute is considered by the Center for Media and Democracy to be a front group created by lobbyists for the restaurant and hotel industries. “I have some bright students, and a lot of them felt chagrined that they weren’t able to deduce this,” said Colglazier, who videotaped the episode last January. “They got duped.” Or, as one student put it, loudly, “fudge nuggets!”
Swiss university launches country's first ever degree in yodelling
Swiss yodeller Nadja Räss will teach the course. Photo: andibrunner.com From the 2018/19 academic year it will be possible to study yodelling to degree level in Switzerland for the first time. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts is adding yodelling to its Folk Music programme from the autumn, offering both a three-year bachelor’s and a two-year master’s degree in the alpine vocal technique, it said on its website. The university has offered folk music degrees since 2012, and it now becomes the first in the country to offer the traditional Swiss art of yodelling at degree level. Students will not only learn yodelling skills but will also take modules in theory, history and business. Speaking to the Tribune de Genève, Michael Kaufmann, head of the university’s music department, said he had long wanted to offer yodelling but couldn’t find a sufficiently qualified teacher – until now.
Protect Yourself from Fake News - Fact v. Fiction - Fake News - Academic Guid...
Here are some steps you can take to become a critical news consumer: Determine what type of article you are reading Is it an editorial or opinion piece? These articles reflect the author's personal beliefs and point of view. Untrustworthy sources can blur the line between reporting the facts and expressing opinions. Look into opposing views Look into sources that you normally do not check or that hold opposing viewpoints to your own. Understand that not all errors are intentional The media is fallible and mistakes can happen. Look into the editorial staff News sources must hold themselves accountable for the information they provide. Find the original sources Many fake or biased sites use previously published stories that have been edited and manipulated to fit their biased views. Share Responsibly This goes beyond not sharing news stories until you have determined they are genuine, but also not sharing fake news. Double-check on the internet Beware of native advertising Evaluate Resources
Battling Fake News in the Classroom
In this post-election period, there has been a lot of discussion about fake news, particularly about how it is spread and shared online, and whether it influenced the recent presidential election. On November 22, Stanford University released an influential study showing that middle and high school students—and even some in college—have trouble distinguishing which online resources are credible. The inescapable fact is that young people need to be prepared for the Wild West of information that they live in and will grow up in. It is also imperative that we, as educators, prepare young people for the important job of responsible and informed citizenship. Media Literacy and “Crap Detection” Teaching media literacy is not new, but with the explosion of social media and the lightning speeds at which information is shared, critical evaluation skills have never been more important. The Role of Educators So how can educators address this emerging crisis in digital literacy? What’s Next?
