EVALUATING MEDIA BIAS & MISINFORMATION ONLINE
What is media literacy, and why should I care about it?
Media literacy is similar to fluency in a foreign language. It takes practice and experience to determine the credibility of a media source. This skill is particularly important to develop with the rise of misinformation and disinformation, which spread harmful narratives that disseminate quickly.
What’s the difference between misinformation and disinformation?
Misinformation is false or inaccurate information, while disinformation is false information which is intended to mislead. Sometimes, misinformation is completely unintentional – think accidentally misrepresenting what one friend said to another friend. That relatable situation can cause friendship drama, just as misinformation can cause informational drama.
Disinformation, conversely, is always intentional. Media outlets sensationalize titles to get more clicks, manipulating or fabricating content to deceive – including fake authors or evidence, or framing issues in a certain light to place an agenda on the reader.
What is framing?
Framing, one of the most prevalent examples of disinformation, is tough to spot.
Step 1 is to take a moment to ask yourself if the content is trying to push an agenda. Consider these two example headlines:
| “Students engaging in civil disobedience at a school walkout serve as a beacon of free speech in America” | “Violent student protest interrupts school day, jeopardizing student’s safety” |
Notice how both headlines cover the same issue, but use subtle changes in language to make different arguments. Analyzing headlines with strong language in any case is a great way to see potential media coverage bias.
Once you get used to doing this, analyzing media will come naturally, just like practicing a new language leads to fluency. You can become media fluent!
It is important to understand that the media does more than just inform us of events. It has the ability to construct reality and is often influenced by industrial and political pressures.
When encountering a new source, ask yourself:
- Who is the author and what is their background?
- Who is this article written for?
- What is the purpose of this article? Is there an argument hidden between the lines?
These are the first steps to media literacy.
What if all the sources I consume media from are unreliable? How do I pick more credible sources?
There is certainly choice fatigue involved in deciding which sources to engage with. All Sides pairs news with a media bias rating.
You can easily evaluate the political leanings of different media outlets for free. Look up the sources you typically engage with to see where they lie on the political bias spectrum. Reading All Sides can help ease the decision making process.
Some of the most centrist media outlets are BBC, Forbes, and Wall Street Journal News – but centered doesn’t always mean the article touches on all important information. Neglecting to discuss certain issues for news outlets is another form of framing. This can be a tough pill to swallow for independent voters, but All Sides provides a community feedback button to determine what media literate individuals think about the analysis.
At TIP, we are huge fans of Pew Research. Widely considered the most reliable scholarly resource, Pew bases all its content from public opinion polling and demographic research. It also is streamlined to be accessible to anyone regardless of their level of media literacy and is informative and engaging.
How do I determine if artificial intelligence has generated misinformation in an article?
This is an ever evolving issue, and as we learn to strike a balance of the benefits and anxieties surrounding AI. As its use increases, we need to learn to spend more time analyzing images, reading and rereading content, and taking time to sit with our reactions to the content we consume. Is it so shocking that it’s hard to believe? Does it come from a source you’ve never seen before?
Keep in mind – AI generated content can create disinformation at a more rapid rate than any person can, so it is more important than ever to practice media literacy skills. Similar to Google Translate, AI isn’t always completely accurate even in summarizing basic information.
Where do I start to practice media literacy?
Another great nonpartisan website dedicated to fact-checking is Poynter. Not only do they offer detailed information about the ins and outs of conscious media consumption, but they also offer free media literacy classes for all ages through MediaWise. Those who are dedicated to practicing can engage with their free 7 day course, Find Facts Fast. Seniors in particular are encouraged to take a 1 hour MediaWise course to learn to critically analyze sources.
Why does TIP care about media literacy? How does media literacy have anything to do with candidate background checks?
Our mission at TIP is to reinvigorate democracy by empowering voters to make informed decisions about a candidate’s integrity, given that they are proactively being transparent. Politicians are often single minded seekers of reelection. This means they can and will often engage in unsavory techniques to get their name out to as many voters as possible. Engaging in a background check, however, shows a candidate’s willingness to disclose information about themselves – proving them to be more trustworthy and honest.
Employing accurate and nonpartisan background checks will verify the information out there about a candidate – or refute that information. Disinformation about a candidate will be even easier to spot when their criminal record, education, resume, and professional licensing history are in the open for the public to see.
