Content area
Full text
In our post-truth world, we're bombarded with claims of "fake news," 'hoax news," and "alternative facts." Degrees of truth and subtle differences in reporting need to be addressed through education, with the help of automated tools that can assist in identifying which elements of an article or video are false. The outcomes range from affecting only a few (fake reviews that influence purchases or restaurant dining choices) to (arguably) determining the outcome of a national election.
Distinguishing between what is false and what is based in truth requires some exploration. "Fake-ness" can exist as a hoax or as propaganda. A particular article or source could be unreliable, either accidentally or purposely, incidentally, or wholly and consistently. Librarians teaching information literacy and educators responsible for developing students' critical thinking capabilities within a discipline are well aware of the telltale signs, but few individuals apply critical thinking with rigor outside the classroom.
Erroneous information can be displayed or published unwittingly and benignly, without any malicious intent-but misinformation can turn into harmful malinformation. Here are some examples:
* Unauthenticated sourcing, misattribution, and crowdsourced news can be misleading and contain biases. This can be exacerbated when video of one incident is mislabeled and circulated as "proof" of a similar act in another place, at another time, or with altered audio, aka deepfakes.
* Unsubstantiated claims and bogus claims also need to be checked and authenticated (or called out as false).
* Non-specific language can contribute to confusion, or worse.
* Information presented to compel or dissuade people from an action can thwart their true intent.
* Exaggerations to make a point, or purposely inflating or deflating numbers, can lead to poor decisions by companies or governments, as noted by ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities' Working Group on Truth, Trust and Expertise (allea.org/truth-trust-and-expertise).
* The unethical nature of purposely circulating disinformation about a competitor. In some jurisdictions, this is an illegal act.
WHEN IS SCHOLARLY RESEARCH NEWSWORTHY?
Scholarly research presents challenges to news media. Jargon and acronyms, along with technical language, can impede how complicated issues are understood by the public and policymakers. Dubious data collection methodologies and confusing statistical data presentations also affect understanding. (There's a wonderful resource to help journalists assess the newsworthiness...