"A medium of cultivation, conveyance, or expression" - Definition of media, Merriam-WebsterWhether we’re reading the news, sharing our thoughts on social media, listening to our favourite podcasts, or exchanging stories with a friend over lunch, we’re constantly engaging with media in some way or another. With how fast information can spread and how easy it has become to consume it, the threat of information overload is never more than a click or two away. This can make separating fact from fiction seem like a tall task. Here are some tips and tools to help you find the truth in what you consume.
The term "fake news" is all too familiar to most of us. And while we might assume that fake news refers to that which is simply false, the increased usage of the term has made it more difficult to define. In addition to characterizing something as false, fake news often refers to information that's simply misleading or information that the reader dislikes or agrees with.
As media consumers, it’s important to be able to identify these differences and understand how they might affect us. After all, the information we consume influences our beliefs, values, and actions. Awareness of what constitutes disinformation and misinformation is important to understanding these differences.
CBC News journalist Andrea Bellemare offers us two easy-to-understand definitions:
Disinformation is the deliberate creation and/or sharing of false information to mislead.
Misinformation is the act of sharing information without realizing it's wrong.
"The real 'fake news': how to spot misinformation and disinformation online."
While the intent and motivation behind the two can differ, the ramifications of spreading false or misleading information can be equally damaging and harmful. Knowing how to identify this information is, therefore, an essential skill in today’s society.
Image source: Pixabay
First thing’s first: what is media literacy? In our first episode, Jay breaks this question down and explains how we’re going to use it to explore our media saturated world.
