Alt House’s Post

Today in the “common place” post for my “Disinformation in the Digital Age” course, I want to highlight a new framework for responding to disinformation. Camille François outlines the “three key vectors characteristic of viral deception” to help “guide regulatory and industry remedies.” She argues that manipulative actors, deceptive behaviors, and harmful content work in concert to fuel the proliferation of disinformation. This “ABC” framework is a promising tool to better understand disinformation. By exploring the who (actors), what (content), and how (behaviors) within a specific “where” (social media), it helps bring together different approaches to countering disinformation. Most importantly, it emphasizes the interconnected nature of these vectors and the necessity of a balanced approach that responds not just to harmful content, but also to the deceptive behaviors and manipulative actors that create and drive it. #Disinformation

https://lnkd.in/eV3BZpxR This article raises a crucial point. Social media has become a breeding ground for misinformation, and its rapid spread often overshadows factual reporting. The "outrageous but interesting" falsehood travels faster than corrections, leaving a distorted perception of reality. This highlights the need for increased media literacy. We need to be critical consumers of information, verifying sources and double-checking claims before sharing. Social media platforms also have a responsibility to combat misinformation, perhaps through fact-checking mechanisms or promoting reliable sources. The future of reliable news depends on addressing this challenge.

Great BBC News article proposing steps for spotting misinformation in the new age of fast moving information. "One study, for example, found that just 15% of news sharers spread up to 40% of fake news." (study citation: https://lnkd.in/dcuk-wWx) Luckily, there are solutions, including the proposed "SIFT" method in the article: Stop 🛑 : In our fast-paced, digitally-driven world, it's crucial to pause before reacting to online content, resisting the urge to immediately share or comment in order to reflect and verify the information. Investigate the Source 🤔 : Determine the credibility of a post's creator by researching their background, expertise, and biases on reputable websites, including their financial and political affiliations. Find Better Coverage 🌏 : Look for trustworthy verification of claims by using tools like Google News or fact-checking sites, ensuring these sources themselves are credible and connected to reliable networks. Trace the Claim 🛣 : Trace a claim back to its original source to verify its accuracy and context, checking for any potential misrepresentations or alterations in the way it's been presented online. These steps pinpoint everything that https://AskNews.app does to improve transparency into a story 🚀 , *especially* finding better coverage (try crossing language and country barriers to get the full picture) and tracing claims (how about a direct linked citation to every single claim in a news report). https://lnkd.in/dNu6c9Rk #bbc BBC News #misinformation #ai4good #diversity Amanda Ruggeri

Newspapers and magazines serve a purpose: filtering through the thousands of potential news stories to distill those “worthy” of mass consumption. Yes, it’s true that a lot of interesting and important news stories are filtered out by subjective editors with personal agendas. Yet it’s also true that, without such filtering, reading what anyone deems noteworthy can cause what we ascribe as the “news” to lose its value. It calls into question the role of social media in our lives. The director of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, David Greenfield, put it well when he shared with me that he’s “questioning this idea that social media has anything to do with social contact. I think it’s actually completely the opposite. The only reason why social media exists is really to keep your eyes on screens to sell you stuff. That’s the model.” How will you connect with others meaningfully in real time in our current age of distraction? --- The above content is an excerpt from my book Screened In: The Art of Living Free in the Digital Age (bit.ly/screenedin).

NAVIGATING THE NEWS: BALANCING SPEED AND ACCURACY IN THE DIGITAL AGE Social media’s speed comes at the cost of reliability, while traditional media values accuracy over immediacy. So, I think it is brilliant that traditional media organisations are increasingly having an online presence. This solves the problems mentioned above. Nonetheless, in this age of endless updates, discernment—the ability to separate fact from fiction and evaluate sources before rushing to judgment—is crucial to staying informed and avoiding misinformation.

“Everyone is biased — and that's okay. There's no such thing as unbiased news. But hidden media bias misleads, manipulates and divides us. So everyone should learn how to spot media bias.” This site is great; allowing you to identify different perspectives and political leanings so you can get the full picture and think for yourself. https://lnkd.in/ekjUc-sP

POWER OF MEDIA BIAS We've all been there scrolling through our feeds or watching the evening news, thinking we're simply being informed. But what if I told you that even the most "objective" stories come wrapped in layers of bias? It's subtitle, like the background music in a movie shaping the narrative, nudging our emotions and influencing our opinions without us even realizing it. Media bias doesn't necessarily mean outright falsehood; it can be as simple as the tone in which a story is presented, the choice of words, or what is not said at all. It's the difference between calling someone a "protester" or a "rioter". In a blink of an eye the reader's perception shifts. As someone who works closely with media through my student journalism and design work, I've seen how it plays out. The danger? it's easy to fall into echo chambers where our worldview is constantly reinforced, blocking us from considering alternative perspectives. The solution isn't to mistrust all media. It's to consume consciously. Ask questions, cross-check stories, and mostly, stay curious. The more we challenge the narrative handed to us, the closer we come to the truth. Let's be mindful, after all, all information is powerful but only when we know how to navigate it.

Interesting read

Interesting read.

Good news plumbers, I got some new headlines for you! Take this example to use to help you experiment with eye catching headlines that will draw in potential clients!