You've heard these terms "in the news." Here are some helpful definitions that will help provide some context.
Confirmation Bias - The tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories. Oxford Dictionaries
Filter Bubble - A situation in which an Internet user encounters only information and opinions that conform to and reinforce their own beliefs, caused by algorithms that personalize an individual’s online experience. Oxford Dictionaries; term by Eli Pariser.
Post-truth - Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. Oxford Dictionaries
Propaganda - Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. Oxford Dictionaries
Satire - The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Oxford Dictionaries
Spin - Give (a news story or other information) a particular interpretation, especially a favorable one. Oxford Dictionaries
Truthiness - The quality of preferring concepts or facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts or facts known to be true. American Dialect Society; term by Stephen Colbert.
Adapted from: Colby-Sawyer College Libraryand the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook
How to Spot Fake News
Critical thinking is a key skill in media and information literacy, and the mission of libraries is to educate and advocate its importance.
Discussions about fake news has led to a new focus on media literacy more broadly, and the role of libraries and other education institutions in providing this.
When Oxford Dictionaries announced post-truth was Word of the Year 2016, we as librarians realise action is needed to educate and advocate for critical thinking – a crucial skill when navigating the information society.
IFLA has made this infographic with eight simple steps (based on FactCheck.org’s 2016 article How to Spot Fake News) to discover the verifiability of a given news-piece in front of you. Download, print, translate, and share – at home, at your library, in your local community, and on social media networks. The more we crowd source our wisdom, the wiser the world becomes.
