((PKG)) FAKE NEWS CHECKOLOGY
((Banner: Spot the Fake News))
((Reporter: Deborah Block))
((Camera: Mike Burke, Adam Greenbaum))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: United States / Virginia / Arlington))
((NATS))
How are You? What's the big deal about people being misinformed?
((ALAN MILLER, FOUNDER, NEWS LITERACY PROJECT))
I've really been struck by how students tend to see all information as created equal. If they're younger, they may think that if somebody put it on the Internet, they've verified it and it's all true. And they're inclined to believe it and to share it. By the time they're in high school, they're often more cynical and they may feel that it's all equally driven by bias, by agenda. What's missing is that critical thinking skill to know what to do with all of that information.
((PATRICIA HUNT, TEACHER, WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL))
The activities in checkology and the kind of questioning that I engage with the students in, it’s skeptical. So, the students come in with a real healthy skepticism. So, instead of cynicism, its skepticism and they are questioning, and they want to know who are the sources, and where do they come from, and what might be their agenda?
((SIHIN YIBRAH, STUDENT, WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL))
I learned about fact checking and ways to find false news, you know, by headlines and seeing if there are publishers.
((PATRICIA HUNT, TEACHER, WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL))
I don’t think that the government should, you know, ban fake news like they did in Malaysia. I’m more inclined to think that students need to be taught and that that could be mandated, that that could be a requirement. In order for our democracy to survive, students need to be well informed. And today, students are bombarded with information, and they are also bombarded with so-called news, fake news, viral rumors and misinformation. So, it’s critical that students are able to distinguish between fake news and real news and misinformation and balanced sources and quality journalism.
((AMORY GANT, STUDENT, WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL))
Now I know how to decipher what's real, and what's fake, and what to look for.
((ALAN MILLER, FOUNDER, NEWS LITERACY PROJECT))
What we want the students to take away is the ability to assess the credibility of all news and information they encounter.
((KEVIN FLORIMON, STUDENT, WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL))
I think I will be able to, kind of, go through news a lot better. I’ll be able to, kind of, rest easier knowing that I'm not going to be tricked as easily.
((PATRICIA HUNT, TEACHER, WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL))
What used to take me hours and weeks and months to create is now in front of me and the students have access to it. It’s interactive. It’s engaging. It’s timely and it’s super important. The most important thing that I want them to get out of the class is to recognize the importance of citizenship and choosing to participate.
((ANIMATION W/ GFX, CAPTIONS))
EXPLAINER: FAKE NEWS
It’s easy to post fake news.
What’s worse: We’re not very good at spotting it.
It takes effort to detect a bogus post.
Warning signs for misinformation:
Untrustworthy source:
Deceitful web sites often look legitimate, sometimes making small changes to the URL of a legitimate news organization.
Appeal to political bias:
We are inclined to believe statements that confirm our own beliefs and discount statements that don’t.
Be suspicious when a story says what you want to hear.
Are they kidding?
Satire and humor are not always obvious.
Check other stories on a suspicious site.
Experts recommend the use of fact checking websites.
FactCheck.org
Snopes.com
Politifact.com
Many viral postings have already been confirmed or debunked.
