Everywhere you look, information is presented to you and now more than ever before we have realized that the information is not always accurate. It has therefore become necessary to learn and make use of a growing number of resources that now make it easy to verify facts.
‘Information is the basis for all the decisions we make. It is the basis of our civilian agencies and our civil liberties, and it is the basis of democracy itself, ”said Peter Adams, of the News Literacy Project. “So if we base our decisions and ideas on bad information, it can distort the democratic process and harm our communities and our families.”
The News Literacy Project is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that provides resources for students and the public to learn how to sort and verify information.
“The first step, I would say, is to pay attention to where you are in the information ecosystem,” Adams explained. ‘So if you look at standard space news, you know at least that some processes of verification took place there.
‘When you’re on social media – when you’re on Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram – it’s mostly user – generated content. So you do not know who produced the information, nor do you know what their motives or methods are. ”
No matter where the information comes from, it is wise to still check what you have read. This is something that has become faster and easier to do.
“Checking out the comments can actually be a great way if something ‘looks’ too ‘on the nose’, if it really makes you angry or scared, or if you have a strong emotional response,” Adams said. So, break [and] check the comments. If you see nothing in the comments, do a quick Google search. You can do this in about 45 seconds. ‘
In addition to conducting your own searches, there is also a growing list of credible websites specifically dedicated to fact checking information. One of the oldest is Snopes.com. On the homepage of this website are recent news headlines that have been researched and factually checked. You can also use the search bar to check other articles. Simply type the heading or put it in a question form and the website will provide you with fact-checked links to get accurate information on the matter.
“Just as good as having a little self-control with your garbage and not throwing it in the street. If everyone takes one minute before sharing something they are not sure about, we can eliminate a lot of pollution. our information flow, ”said Adams.
So, if fact checking has become easier and faster than ever before, why does not everyone do it?
“In a way, the internet contains so much content, which is fascinating and incredible, but it’s so hard to digest,” said dr. Daniel Jolley said. “So if we can base our social media habits on what we already know and what we believe, it makes it easier to navigate. It makes the world easier [sic] to understand. ”
Dr. Jolley is a senior lecturer at Northumbria University in the UK focusing on the psychology of conspiracy theories and misinformation. He explained that some people feel safer staying in an “echo room”.
In essence, the echo chamber reads and shares information that supports or echoes their beliefs. For these people, it is scary and a risk to their psyche to check information that could challenge their belief system.
“It’s important to talk to people in those echo chambers, but the most important thing is to have compassion,” Dr Jolley explained. “If you go in and tell that person that he’s wrong and that you were right, that person will already be defensive.”
Having compassion while normalizing the practice of fact checking can help us all filter all the information thrown at us to reach the real facts.