What We’re Reading

Young Australians prefer to get their news from family, study finds

Young Australians prefer to get their news from family, study finds

While one-third of young Australians feel confident about spotting fake news online, most rarely or never try to find out if online news stories are true or not.
Moderating uncivil comments takes an emotional toll and lowers trust in news

Moderating uncivil comments takes an emotional toll and lowers trust in news

Uncivil comments taint people's perception of a news site. They also make moderators more emotionally exhausted and less likely to trust said news outlet, researchers with UT Austin found.
Young Americans aren’t as confident in their ability to spot fake news as Qatari youths

Young Americans aren’t as confident in their ability to spot fake news as Qatari youths

A new study notes Middle Eastern participants are more confident in identifying misinformation, but there was no significant difference in how people verified information.
What’s standing in the way of Moroccan media literacy education?

What’s standing in the way of Moroccan media literacy education?

Although many Moroccan secondary school teachers want to teach their students media literacy, educators cite limited training and materials as huge hurdles.
Readers don’t buy outright lies — but social media users buy a blend of truth and partisan bias the most

Readers don’t buy outright lies — but social media users buy a blend of truth and partisan bias the most

Researchers say "fake news" is more defined by partisanship and identity politics than deception and misinformation.
The different ways journalism and librarianship academia address fake news

The different ways journalism and librarianship academia address fake news

A Bradley University professor found librarianship academic articles were less likely to be critical of misinformation on social media than journalism academic articles.
More engagement leads to more fake news sharing, researchers say

More engagement leads to more fake news sharing, researchers say

Researchers asked: How can we encourage citizens to be enthusiastic and politically active without spreading misinformation? 
More people spread made-up news than people who correct it

More people spread made-up news than people who correct it

A new Online Civic Culture Centre study found most British social media users shy away from correcting misinformation — but a large chunk of people have spread misleading news.
How emotional reactions influence the way audiences understand news

How emotional reactions influence the way audiences understand news

Findings suggest that a high "need for affect" (NFA), or desire for strong emotions, can mislead readers into thinking they learned more than they actually did.
Outrageous clickbait content can deter long-term engagement, study finds

Outrageous clickbait content can deter long-term engagement, study finds

Using outrage as a draw reduces credibility and audience trust, according to new research from the University of Texas at Austin.
How community engagement translates to success for local news

How community engagement translates to success for local news

New Pew research finds news consumers rate their local news outlets higher if they believe the journalists are connected to the community.
Media literacy, photography skills — not content — matter most when IDing fake images

Media literacy, photography skills — not content — matter most when IDing fake images

UC Davis study finds viewers’ digital literacy skills, social media use and digital imaging experience are “significant predictors of image credibility evaluation.”
News literacy messages can fight social media misinformation

News literacy messages can fight social media misinformation

News literacy messages can counteract misinformation and boost positive beliefs of news literacy, but only with multiple messages.
5 strategies to tell if an image is fake

5 strategies to tell if an image is fake

In a sea of misinformation, it takes a sharp eye to recognize subtle signs of fakery. Luckily, there are ways for you to train yourself to recognize an image that’s been edited to mislead you.
Is fraudulent news the ‘new normal’?

Is fraudulent news the ‘new normal’?

PEN America addresses how misinformation has — and will — shaped American elections in its newest report, “Truth on the Ballot.”
How news literacy messages can change the way people seek out news media

How news literacy messages can change the way people seek out news media

Can media literacy education mitigate the effect of selective exposure?
How relevance shapes the public’s news decisions

How relevance shapes the public’s news decisions

A new study from The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism finds relevancy is the key factor in how people choose news stories to read.
UT Austin study suggests process boxes can boost audience trust

UT Austin study suggests process boxes can boost audience trust

Audiences rated news stories with a box explaining their process as more trustworthy than articles without.
Flu vaccine myths and misinformation: Don’t spread it in the first place

Flu vaccine myths and misinformation: Don’t spread it in the first place

The spread of flu vaccine misinformation is changing the way we share information.
College students are skeptical of misinformation

College students are skeptical of misinformation

Half of students surveyed said they are not confident in discerning “real news” from “fake news.”
YouTube series “Navigating Digital Misinformation” teaches teens to be MediaWise

YouTube series “Navigating Digital Misinformation” teaches teens to be MediaWise

Teens on the internet are susceptible to online misinformation. That’s why MediaWise is teaming up with social media influencers to teach media literacy skills.
Study: Losing local newspapers leads to more polarized voting

Study: Losing local newspapers leads to more polarized voting

When local newspapers close, people turn to national news sources, which focus more on inter-party conflict and provide a simplified view of political issues.
Conflict in the comment section can hurt a news site’s credibility

Conflict in the comment section can hurt a news site’s credibility

A new UT Austin study suggests journalists should ensure the discussions in their comment sections are civil in order to retain new readers and keep their trust.
9 tools to identify fake images and videos

9 tools to identify fake images and videos

Altered photos and videos have become almost impossible to detect with the human eye. These nine resources can help us recognize fake content on the internet.
8 resources to detect fake news

8 resources to detect fake news

Stop the spread of misinformation with these tools, from stance detection code to fact-checking websites, to identify fake news.
New study details role of fake accounts, bots in misinformation wave

New study details role of fake accounts, bots in misinformation wave

A Nature Communications study found bots were responsible for 34 percent of all shared articles from non-credible sources.
The information rich will get richer and the information poor will get poorer, Oxford reports

The information rich will get richer and the information poor will get poorer, Oxford reports

Tabloid news has a higher reach amongst low-income individuals, suggesting misinformation disproportionately affects poorer people.
How to restore trust? Look to traditional journalism tenets

How to restore trust? Look to traditional journalism tenets

A new study finds Australians want their news to be accurate and objective, not necessarily friendly and accessible.
Shortcut Roundup: Quick guides to become media literate

Shortcut Roundup: Quick guides to become media literate

We compiled a list of nine useful acronyms and easy-to-remember questions that make media literacy easy.
Fake and conspiracy news outlets dominated during 2016 election

Fake and conspiracy news outlets dominated during 2016 election

Knight research finds 6.6 million tweets linked to fake and conspiracy news publishers in the month before the 2016 election.
Education Roundup: Tools for teaching media literacy

Education Roundup: Tools for teaching media literacy

We outline six resources for educators to teach their students media literacy skills. Step into the virtual classroom to guide the digital citizens of the future.
Alexa, what’s the future of news on smart speakers?

Alexa, what’s the future of news on smart speakers?

A new study finds nearly half of U.K. smart speaker owners use the news function daily, but only 1 percent find it the most important feature.
Communities identify the 6 qualities newsrooms need to earn trust

Communities identify the 6 qualities newsrooms need to earn trust

Newsrooms should become more authentic, diverse and positive to gain the public's trust, according to community conversations.
Social media use is evolving for a new generation of teens

Social media use is evolving for a new generation of teens

As the technology landscape evolves for young people, so do concerns about the impact it is having on their lives.
Educators unsure: Can students identify fake news?

Educators unsure: Can students identify fake news?

A new study finds nearly all education leaders are concerned about "students’ inability to gauge the reliability of online news."
How media brands affect people’s trust in news

How media brands affect people’s trust in news

Americans are less trusting of information when they know where it comes from, a new Knight Foundation study finds.
Study: Local news in small communities is suffering

Study: Local news in small communities is suffering

Media outlets in “news deserts” lack originality, geographic relevance and critical information, according to Duke University research.
Social media: Changing the way news is consumed

Social media: Changing the way news is consumed

Inaccuracy tops people’s concerns about social media, Pew researchers find.
Americans have trouble differing fact from opinion, Pew reports

Americans have trouble differing fact from opinion, Pew reports

Only 26 percent of U.S. adults could properly distinguish between fact and opinion statements.
War On Fake News & The Help of Behavioral Science by Gleb Tsipursky

War On Fake News & The Help of Behavioral Science by Gleb Tsipursky

Gleb Tsipursky, co-founder of the Pro-Truth Pledge project, details 12 small efforts to help steer people to act honestly on social media.
Media Insight Project’s Americans and the News Media: What they do — and don’t — understand about each other

Media Insight Project’s Americans and the News Media: What they do — and don’t — understand about each other

The public believes the current media landscape is dominated by opinion, and that journalists have low expectations of their audiences' knowledge of how news works.
News games: engaging tools for fighting misinformation

News games: engaging tools for fighting misinformation

These five entertaining games teach media literacy skills in a fun and playable format.
The Oxygen of Amplification by Whitney Philips

The Oxygen of Amplification by Whitney Philips

"At a certain point you have to realize you're promoting them." Whitney Philips discusses the best way to report on extremists, antagonists and manipulators who spread misinformation online.
Tackling Online Disinformation: A European Approach

Tackling Online Disinformation: A European Approach

The High Level Expert Group on Fake News and Online Disinformation says the way to fight fake news is to enhance transparency, promote media literacy and continue research.

How Youth Navigate The News Landscape from the Knight Foundation

How Youth Navigate The News Landscape from the Knight Foundation

Young people in general consume news sporadically, think traditional news sources are biased and feel responsible for verifying the information they consume.
Science’s Trust Problem by Louise Lief

Science’s Trust Problem by Louise Lief

In 2018, 84 percent of Americans could not name a living scientists. Scientists, like journalists, must find a better way to connect with the public.
Social media platforms’ business model promotes misinformation

Social media platforms’ business model promotes misinformation

Transparency can no longer be a choice for social media platforms, the Shorenstein Center argues. That boils down to companies sharing more data with the public.
Studies show lack of media literacy in students has negative impact by Laura Spilsbury

Studies show lack of media literacy in students has negative impact by Laura Spilsbury

At the basis of media literacy is critical thinking, as can be seen in an article in The Daily Universe from Brigham Young University journalism student Laura Spilsbury.