Recognizing Mis- and DisInformation
Learn To Identify Fact From Fiction Online
This page contains information on to how recognize mis-and disinformation and how to be an informed consumer of online information using Crash Course’s videos as a starting point. Learn how to tell truth from lies, facts from fiction, good evidence from bad evidence, by watching each YouTube playlist and the linked information below.
INTRODUCTION
Join us in this 10-part series to learn hands-on skills you need to evaluate the information you read online. Learn to separate truth from opinion.
- Slides
- This Episode’s YouTube Playlist (videos)
- Outsmarting Human Minds (website)
- Outsmarting Human Minds (video)
- Savvy Media Consumer Overview (videos)
FACT CHECKING
We love the internet! It’s a wealth of information but much of what we see is false, misleading, or half the story. Learn the facts about facts!
LATERAL READING
You don’t cross an intersection without looking both ways, right? Check out Episode 3 and learn how to use lateral reading to do real-time fact checking.
DECIDING WHO TO TRUST
Learn strategies to help you identify credible sources and evaluate a source’s point of view.
USING WIKIPEDIA
It’s not perfect, but used as a general reference, it is incredibly powerful. Learn how to use Wikipedia to better evaluate information and find trustworthy primary sources.
EVALUATING EVIDENCE
How can you tell good evidence from bad evidence? Watch this episode!
EVALUATING PHOTOS & VIDEOS
With the amount of fake and doctored photos and videos out there, how can we know what to trust?
- Slides
- This Episode’s YouTube Playlist (Videos)
- The Attractiveness of Halo Effect
- Which Face is Real?
- Deep Fake Quiz (may need to use Chrome browser)
DATA & INFOGRAPHICS
Let’s discuss how numbers, like statistics, and visual representations like charts
and infographics can be used to help us better understand the world or profoundly deceive.
- Slides
- This Episode’s YouTube Playlist (Videos)
- Uncovering Reality (Pacific Science Center)
- Misleading Axes
- Proportional Ink
CLICK RESTRAINT
The architecture of the social internet itself tells us not to be patient – to load more tweets, to hit refresh for new posts, and to click the top search results. Let’s learn a little self-restraint…
- Slides
- This Episode’s YouTube Playlist (Videos)
- Is Our Attention for Sale? (Video)
- Google rater guidelines
- The Truth About Algorithms (Video)
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media shapes both our online and offline behaviors from how we engage in communities and consume goods and services to influencing our thoughts and opinions. So let’s talk about how they really function – the good stuff and also the terrible stuff.
- Slides
- This Episode’s YouTube Playlist (Videos)
- That’s Nonsense: why you should not ‘copy & paste’ on social media
- Refuting Bullsh*t: The 4 rules to use to correct online misinformation
- Social Signaling
Watched all the videos, followed all the links and still want more? Check out this Resource List! Also, this handout from recent CWU course on Misinformation & Malarkey (used with author’s permission).
Still want more? Check out Savvy Media Consumer Slides and crash course on YouTube