By: Molly Anderson
In today’s digital world, we are constantly bombarded by news and information from a variety of sources. So, how do we know what to believe and what sources to trust? The first step is to learn the fundamentals of news literacy. But what’s news literacy, and why is it important? Let’s begin!
Without news literacy, we’d be lost in our social feeds and drowning in disinformation. Today, the truth and facts compete for attention against viral rumors and conspiracy theories, but news literacy can teach you how to think about the news and information you encounter on a daily basis and how to combat disinformation.
It may seem overwhelming at first; however, organizations and resources are available to guide you on your journey to becoming news literate. The News Literacy Project (NLP) is a nonpartisan education non-profit building a national movement to create a more news-literate America. The NLP defines news literacy as “the ability to determine the credibility of news and other information and to recognize the standards of fact-based journalism to know what to trust, share and act on.”
While the media strives to be transparent, as news consumers, we must also engage and become more news-literate to debunk the misinformation we are confronted with every day. With the technology we have at our fingertips, it is easy for a rumor to spread, a picture to be taken out of context or opinions and perspectives to be taken as the truth. We each have a role and a responsibility to close the credibility gap and stop misinformation.
By using the NLP’s tools and resources, we can learn how to identify what news and information we can trust, share and act on, to become better-informed, more engaged and empowered in our democracy.
Don’t get caught off guard. Use RumorGuard!
RumorGuard is a platform that teaches people how to identify credible information and debunk viral rumors. The platform uses real-world examples of misinformation and provides an overview of fact-checks by walking users through the process of evaluating how and why a rumor might be false. Each post teaches and uses five major factors of credibility that users can learn to apply to evaluate other questionable claims they may encounter online.
The NLP’s five factors are:
Source: Has the information been posted by a credible source?
Evidence: Is there evidence that proves the claim is true?
Context: Is the context accurate?
Reasoning: Is the claim based on sound, valid reasoning?
Authenticity: Is the information authentic, or has it been edited, changed or completely made up?
Test your knowledge with Quizzes!
How news-literate are you? Test and sharpen your news literacy skills with short activities, engaging quizzes and shareable graphics.
Identify credible news and reliable sources with Checkology!
The NLP has a free e-learning platform for the public. Checkology’s interactive lessons are taught by journalists and media experts, featuring real-world examples from social media and news sites. Each lesson aims to empower consumers to identify credible information and understand the importance of a free press.
Practice your news literacy skills on Informable!
With the NLP’s free mobile app, you can practice four distinct news literacy skills in a game-like format:
Distinguishing news reports from opinion pieces.
Advertisements from other types of information.
False claims from credible evidence.
Fact-based statements from opinion-based statements.
Learn about news literacy issues with Is that a fact? podcast!
The NLP’s podcast, Is that a fact?, informs listeners about news literacy issues that affect their lives through informal conversations with experts working to combat misinformation.
For more information about news literacy or the News Literacy Project, visit https://newslit.org/