The phenomenal growth in artificial intelligence tools has made it easy to quickly create a story, making it difficult for the reader to determine whether a news source or article is truthful or reliable. For example, earlier this 12 months, people shared an article concerning the alleged suicide of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s psychiatrist as if it were real. It ended as AI-generated rewriting a satirical piece from 2010.
The problem is widespread. According to a 2021 study Pearson Institute/AP-NORC survey“95 percent of Americans imagine the spread of misinformation is an issue.” The Pearson Institute researches methods to cut back global conflict.
As librarians, we combat the rise of misinformation by teaching other ways to confirm the accuracy of an article. These methods include SIFT method (Stop, Investigate, Find, Track), the PROVEN method for evaluating sources (purpose, relevance, objectivity, verifiability, expertise, and novelty) and lateral reading.
Lateral reading is a method for investigating a source that involves opening a brand new browser tab to conduct a search and seek the advice of other sources. Lateral reading involves cross-checking the knowledge by researching the source somewhat than scrolling down the page.
Below are five techniques based on these methods to assist readers distinguish fact from fiction:
1. Research the writer or organization
Look for information beyond the organization's website. What are others saying about it? Are there any red flags that make you doubt its credibility? Search your browser for the organization's name in quotation marks and search for sources which are critical of the organization or group. An organization's “About” page may inform you who’s on its board, what its mission is, and whether it's a nonprofit, but this information is normally written to portray the organization in a positive light.
The PROVEN method for evaluating sources includes a bit titled “Expertise,” which advises readers to ascertain the writer's credentials and affiliations. Do the authors have advanced degrees or expertise on the subject? What else have they written? Who funds the organization and what affiliations have they got? Do these affiliations create a possible conflict of interest? Could their writings be biased in favor of a specific viewpoint?
If any of this information is missing or questionable, you need to keep away from that writer or organization.
2. Use good search techniques
Familiarize yourself with the search techniques of your selected web browser, reminiscent of trying to find keywords somewhat than whole sentences and limiting searches to domains reminiscent of .org, .gov or .edu.
Another good technique is to place two or more words in quotation marks in order that the search engine finds the words next to one another in that order, reminiscent of “Pizzagate conspiracy.” This results in more relevant results.
In an article published in NatureA team of researchers wrote that “77% of searches that used the headline or URL of a false/misleading article as a question returned not less than one unreliable news link in the highest ten results.”
A simpler search could be to discover the important thing terms within the headline in query and seek for those individual words as keywords. For example, if the headline is “Video Shows Aliens in Miami Mall Sparks Invasion Allegations,” readers might seek for “alien invasion” Miami Mall.
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3. Check the source
Check the unique sources of the knowledge. Has the knowledge been accurately cited, paraphrased or quoted? Can you discover the identical facts or statements in the unique source? Purdue worldwidePurdue University's online university for professionals recommends verifying citations and references, which can also apply to news reports, by checking that the sources are “easy to seek out, easily accessible, and never old-fashioned.” It also recommends checking the unique studies or data cited for accuracy.
The SIFT method reiterates this in its suggestion to “take claims, quotes and media back to their original context”. One cannot assume that reporting is at all times correct.
4. Use fact-checking web sites
Browse fact-checking web sites like InfluenceWatch.org, Poynter.org, Politifact.com or Snopes.com to confirm claims. What conclusions did the fact-checkers reach regarding the accuracy of the claims?
An article by the Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review found that the “high degree of agreement” between fact-checking web sites “increases the credibility of fact checkers within the eyes of the general public.”
5. Pause and reflect
Stop and consider whether what you’ve got read has triggered a powerful emotional response. An article within the journal Cognitive Research suggests that news that evokes strong emotions increase our tendency “Believing false reports.”
An online study has found that the easy act of “pause to think” and reflect on whether a headline is true or false, Prevent an individual from sharing false information.Although the study found that pausing reduced intention to share only barely—by 0.32 points on a 6-point scale—the authors argue that it could still curb the spread of faux news on social media.
Knowing learn how to discover and fact-check misinformation is a vital a part of being a digital citizen, and this skill is much more vital as AI becomes more widespread.
