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News Literacy

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What is news literacy and why is it important?

What is news literacy? News literacy is the ability to recognize misinformation and disinformation and to judge the trustworthiness of news.

The League of Women Voters believes that democracy depends on the informed and active participation of citizens in their government.

Today there is an abundance of information that you can use to become informed, but using that abundance of information runs the inevitable risk of exposure to misinformation, disinformation, and bogus news.

And that is where news literacy comes into play.

Purpose of this page

This page is a collection of tools for spotting misinformation and disinformation and tips for judging the credibility of your news sources.

The purpose of this page IS NOT to tell you which news sources to follow.

The purpose of this page IS to enable you to recognize misinformation and disinformation and to make your own decision as to which news sources are trustworthy.

The League of Women Voters believes that when provided with accurate and truthful information, voters will be able to cast an informed vote in their own best interests, and the best interests of their families and their communities.

Definitions

Misinformation is incorrect information or incomplete information that is shared with no intention of harm.

Disinformation is deliberately misleading information that is spread with the intention of causing chaos, division, and/or harm.

Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with trustworthy sources.

Don't let confirmation bias trip you up!

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, or recall information that reinforces our existing beliefs.

⚠️ TIP: Read a variety of trustworthy news sources to avoid being stuck in a news bubble.

Impact of mis- and disinformation

Did you know that sites that publish misinformation and disinformation net over $2 billion in global advertising revenue (Statista, 2024), or that 38% of people admit to having accidentally shared false information online (Statista, 2024)?

Use WISER to stop mis- and disinformation

Are you tired of being manipulated? You can help stop the spread of misinformation and disinformation by using WISER.

WISER is a research-informed solution to combatting misinformation and disinformation that was developed by educators, including at Regis University.

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W = WAIT

WAIT before hitting that "share" button!

Sharing incomplete or inaccurate information can be harmful.

And disinformation peddlers want you to share information immediately, before you have taken the time to pause and use WISER.

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I = INFORMATION GATHERING

INFORMATION GATHERING involves using lateral reading skills to discover what trustworthy news sources are saying about the information you want to share.

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S = SOURCE

Check out the SOURCE of the information.

What is their motivation for posting the information? Is it satire? Is the SOURCE trustworthy, or does it have a history of spreading falsehoods?

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E = EMOTION

Stop and check in with your own EMOTIONS.

Is the source manipulating you by playing on EMOTIONS such as anger or fear?

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R = REFLECT

REFLECT by considering the effect the information may have on others.

Will the information you are about to share harm others?

Remember that "misinformation" can cause unintended harm, and the entire purpose of "disinformation" is to cause harm.

Use the steps of WISER before sharing information!!

Debunking 101

⚠️ CAUTION:

TAKE CARE TO AVOID REPEATING MISINFORMATION OR DISINFORMATION, EVEN WHEN DEBUNKING IT!!

For every incorrect piece of info you see or hear, try to share one that’s correct. Instead of creating further discourse around something you don’t want people to hear, get people talking about what you do want them to hear.

How to differentiate bogus news from trustworthy news

Bogus news	Trustworthy news
Bogus news uses emotional wording, name calling, and misleading headlines.	Trustworthy news takes a neutral tone.
Bogus news lists sources and links that often cannot be verified or that lead straight back to the author of the news article.	Trustworthy news gives a variety of sources and links that can be traced to real sources.
Bogus news is often old news, or has no date.	Trustworthy news is current, firsthand reporting.

Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics

Seek Truth and Report It

Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Minimize Harm

Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect.

Act Independently

The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.

Be Accountable and Transparent

Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one’s work and explaining one’s decisions to the public.

Read the Long Version HERE

More tools for spotting mis- and disinformation

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Artificial Intelligence

So what do you need to know about sorting fact from AI fiction? And how can we think about using AI responsibly? This NPR article by Shannon Bond gives tips for spotting AI manipulation. You can read it HERE.

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Fact Checking

DeBunking False Stories - from Factcheck.org

"We provide several resources for readers: a guide on how to flag suspicious stories on Facebook and a list of websites that have carried false or satirical articles, as well as a video and story on how to spot false stories." Read the article HERE.

Just for Teens

Teen Fact-Checking Network - Poynter

"TFCN fact-checks...debunk misinformation and teach media literacy skills so teens can fact-check on their own. On average, 86% of respondents polled...reported they were more likely to fact-check on their own after watching a TFCN fact-check story." Includes good information about how teens can become better information consumers. Check it out HERE.

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Foreign Disinformation

War on Pineapple: Understanding Foreign Interference in 5 Steps

This infographic from the Department of Homeland Security is a tongue-in-cheek approach using pizza toppings to teach at how foreign adversaries conduct malign information operations in an attempt to inflame hot button issues in the United States. Read it HERE.

Tools of Disinformation: Inauthentic Content

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) produced this graphic to highlight tactics used by disinformation campaigns that seek to disrupt American life and the infrastructure that underlies it. CISA’s publication of information materials about this issue are intended for public awareness. You can find this graphic HERE.

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Media Bias

Ad Fontes…Home of the Media Bias Chart®

Ad Fontes is Latin for "to the source." Ad Fontes uses rigorous, non-partisan methodology to analyze the source and actual content of news. Ad Fontes Media is a public benefit corporation with a mission to make news consumers smarter and news media better. Read about it HERE.

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National Institute for Civil Discourse

LWV/NICD Network Resources

The League of Women Voters and the National Institute for Civil Discourse provide a weekly newsletter filled with events related to civil discourse and news literacy. Sign up to receive the newsletter HERE.

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Navigating Misinformation

Presented by the Institute for Policy and Design, "Navigating Misinformation" is a series that explores ways to address misinformation and disinformation in our diverse communities and its effects on journalism, scientific information, trust, and democracy. It can be found HERE.

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News Literacy Project

How news-literate are you? Test and sharpen your news literacy skills with short activities, engaging quizzes and shareable graphics for learners of all ages. Read it HERE.