Where do you get your information?
How do you know the information you found is reliable?
How do you know an article is not "fake news"?
Do you trust everything you find on the web?
Do you know how to fact check information?
As an alternative to finding news on the web using Google, you may want to use the library news databases such as:
Whether you are looking at a news site, a blog, or the web page of an organization, always ask yourself:
1. Can you find some details about the organization, publication, or site responsible for the information on the page?
2. Who is the author (for a blog or an article, for example)? What are his/her credentials?
3. Is the information presented:
4. Is the information current?
5. From the information available, do you think this source is biased? (use the definitions below)
6.Who is the audience for this source?
Fake News | Completely fabricated information; old news repackaged to look new; images altered to misrepresent reality; or stories that spin bits of real news into distorted or shocking claims. Fake news is intentionally deceitful, often in order to lure traffic, make quick money for the publisher, trick readers/viewers (a hoax), or deceive people for political agenda. Satire may be fake, but it’s not as mean.
Media Bias | Information that is unfair, unbalanced or incomplete in its discussion of an issue. BIased media often lacks context and diversity, and relies on stereotypes, loaded imagery, easy explanations or highly partisan influence. Bias can occur on purpose or because the creator simply didn’t seek out balanced sources, ask deep questions, do good research or provide enough context.
Editorial Perspective | Every reporter, editor or publisher has a point of view. When the point of view is transparent to the reader/viewer, it can help us understand where the creator is coming from, and to evaluate (on our own) whether we agree and what perspectives might be missing. When the perspective is hidden or the reporter denies their bias, then news quality suffers. This is why it’s important to think critically about everything we read, watch and listen to.
- Oakland Public Library