ACTIVITY 6: Reliable Information

Tuesday 12th December 2021

Theme

Stop/Think/Check

Misinformation

Infodemic

Resources

Quiz

Zoom

Our Partners

Festive Cheer
&
Reliable Information

What is Reliable Information

For this Erasmus+ activity, we will look at the importance of reliable information. These days, information is everywhere and sometimes it can be difficult to judge how accurate or reliable information is. Always try to STOP, THINK, CHECK that what you are seeing, reading or hearing is accurate and reliable

STOP THINK CHECK

Always try to STOP, THINK, CHECK what you are seeing, reading or hearing.
Ask yourself, is it accurate and reliable information?

STOP

Read more than the headline. Don’t assume that a picture or photo is giving you the whole story.

THINK

Think carefully about what the information is for. See if the information is being reported anywhere else

CHECK

Look closely at the web address. Find out who the author, producer or publisher is.

Watch this short video clip taken from the Be Media Smart website which explains STOP, THINK CHECK

What's Real and what's not real?

Increased global access to cell phones with an Internet connection, as well as social media, has led to the exponential production of information and the number of possible paths for getting it, creating an information epidemic or infodemic. In other words, we have a situation where a lot of information is being produced and shared to every corner of the world, reaching billions of people. How much of this information is accurate? Just some.

Misinformation

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information deliberately intended to deceive.

Health Effect

Misinformation in a pandemic can negatively affect human health.

Fake News

Many false or misleading stories are fabricated and shared without any background or quality checking.

Conspiracy Theories

Much of this misinformation is based on conspiracy theories.

Dangerous Cycle

It is key to break this dangerous cycle: misinformation expands at the same pace as content production and distribution paths grow. So, the very same infodemic accelerates and perpetuates misinformation.

Impact

Makes it hard for people, decision makers, and health workers to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it.

How to spot False Information?

There are a number of things to watch out for when evaluating content online.

Take a closer look

Check the source of the story, do you recognise the website?
Is it a credible/reliable source?
If you are unfamiliar with the site, look in the about section or find out more information about the author.

Look beyond the headline

Check the entire article, many fake news stories use sensationalist or shocking headlines to grab attention. Often the headlines of fake new stories are in all caps and use exclamation points.

Check other sources

Are other reputable news/media outlets reporting on the story? Are there any sources in the story? If so, check they are reliable or if they even exist!

Check the facts

Stories with false information often contain incorrect dates or altered timelines. It is also a good idea to check when the article was published, is it current or an old news story?

Check your biases

Are your own views or beliefs affecting your judgement of a news feature or report?

Is it a joke?

Satirical sites are popular online and sometimes it is not always clear whether a story is just a joke or parody… Check the website, is it known for satire or creating funny stories?