to take action against Fake News!
Be skeptical...ask questions
Be objective about your media sources - be aware of bias
Make use of non-partisan, online fact checking sites
Find reputable and trustworthy news sources
Learn ways to spot fake news
Be Skeptical of all sources that you find whether online or in print! Consider the questions presented in, How to Spot Fake News below:
Read Beyond: Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?
Check the Author: Do a quick search on the author(s). Are they real? Are they credible?
Supporting Sources? Click on those links. Determine if the info given actually supports the story.
Check the Date: Re-posting old news stories doesn't mean they're relevant to current events.
Is it a Joke? If it's too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure.
Check Your Biases: Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgment.
Ask the Experts: Ask your instructor, a librarian, or consult a fact-checking site.
From the Annenburg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. "We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding."
"PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact is run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida."
Started in the 90s, Snopes.com is perhaps the most popular website for looking up urban legends, but they also fact check misinformation of all kinds.
Short YouTube video:
Code of Ethics
YCCC Library Databases
