| Short introduction to this modul People today have access to a vast array of informational resources, ranging from online search engines and social media platforms to simple mailing lists and WhatsApp groups. However, the abundance of information available can make it challenging to handle. Unfortunately, with the increase in information load and sources, there has also been a rise in the distribution of fake news and conspiracy theories. Our social influences play a significant role in how we choose to receive information. People seek information about what their peers believe and do in order to avoid social exclusion or just to feel part of a group. As a result, people tend to discover news from posts made by their friends on social media platforms. Given that young people consume most of their information from social media, this reputational aspect has become a crucial element in the information gathering process among the various social media platforms available. An information bubble is created when people primarily, or exclusively, consume information from the same type of sources, or with the same type of agenda or political viewpoint. The consequences of information bubbles can be significant. They can lead to a polarised and fragmented debate where people are less likely to engage with those who hold different views, and where social and political divisions are reinforced. They can also undermine the public's trust in institutions such as the media, and in some cases, can even have real-world consequences such as the spread of misinformation or the exacerbation of social and political conflicts. Below you will find a list of training activities you can implement with your class/young people with the purpose of gaining knowledge and abilities dealing with various aspects related to conspiracy theories. |
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What is a conspiracy theory?
The information bubble
Why do we believe in conspiracy theories?
Fact checking
What is critical thinking?
How to escape the rabbit hole?
Activity 4 - This source is unreliable!
Why people fall for misinformation - Joseph Isaac:
5 Ways To Spot Fake News:
Description
To cultivate the learners’ ability to judge whether a source contains reliable reporting, facts and well-founded arguments with the detection of linguistic and extralinguistic cues.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this activity, learners will:
- Recognize visual and linguistic elements in media content
- Analyze media sources, identifying patterns and biases in visual and linguistic cues.
- Develop a skeptical approach towards media content, questioning information before accepting it as true.
Materials needed for implementation
- Newspapers or digital collage tools
- Projector
- Sticky notes/notebooks
- Pen
- Canvas/cardboard
- Mobile phones
- Laptop/desktop
Time required
90 min.
Minimum / Maximum group size
Ideally 6+ learners
Level
Beginner (no prior knowledge required)
Introduction
Explain about the exercise and present them 5 ways to spot fake news.
10 min.
10 min.
Activity description
1. Learners will first be asked to come up with a few shows, newspapers or online sources that they often use or hear about. The trainer could suggest some of them in order to kick off the activity.
2. Upon visiting some of these, preferably using a screen sharing tool or a projector, the trainer will call the learners’ attention to visual and linguistic elements, and a discussion about their frequency or absence will follow. Learners will also be encouraged to look for “fun fact”, science or news pieces in their social media feeds. Then, by collecting images, headlines and phrases and taking them out of context (eg by making a digital collage), the trainer can prompt learners to think how a quick glance or an instinctive click on such stimuli can form one’s perception and make them skip the fact-checking part of the information process. Moreover, learners will be asked to discern visual from linguistic cues and explain which are more potent and in which kind of situations.
3. The final step is taking these lessons and implementing them on some kind of “cautionary example”: the learners will be presented with reputable news pieces and then try and twist them according to different interests or worldviews. Examples of prompts would be:
-How would an extremely religious person twist this article?
-How would someone with industry interests use this piece to make profit?
-Who else would read more into this piece of news and what would their fears be?
Using such prompts, the learners can write their own piece of malignant or ignorant misinformation, sprinkling in the visual and linguistic cues they found in the first steps. Thus, they can witness the creation of misinformation and reverse the analytical process to gain a deeper understanding of it.
60 min.
2. Upon visiting some of these, preferably using a screen sharing tool or a projector, the trainer will call the learners’ attention to visual and linguistic elements, and a discussion about their frequency or absence will follow. Learners will also be encouraged to look for “fun fact”, science or news pieces in their social media feeds. Then, by collecting images, headlines and phrases and taking them out of context (eg by making a digital collage), the trainer can prompt learners to think how a quick glance or an instinctive click on such stimuli can form one’s perception and make them skip the fact-checking part of the information process. Moreover, learners will be asked to discern visual from linguistic cues and explain which are more potent and in which kind of situations.
3. The final step is taking these lessons and implementing them on some kind of “cautionary example”: the learners will be presented with reputable news pieces and then try and twist them according to different interests or worldviews. Examples of prompts would be:
-How would an extremely religious person twist this article?
-How would someone with industry interests use this piece to make profit?
-Who else would read more into this piece of news and what would their fears be?
Using such prompts, the learners can write their own piece of malignant or ignorant misinformation, sprinkling in the visual and linguistic cues they found in the first steps. Thus, they can witness the creation of misinformation and reverse the analytical process to gain a deeper understanding of it.
60 min.
Debriefing
In the debriefing session, the trainer will encourage learners to share their experiences in identifying manipulative techniques and crafting misinformation reflective of different viewpoints. Discussions will delve into the challenges faced and the awareness gained regarding responsible information consumption.
10 min.
10 min.
Adaptation to online mode
No modifications required.
Further resources
- Andrejevic M. The Political Function of Fake News: Disorganized Propaganda in the Era of Automated Media. In Fake News: Understanding Media and Misinformation in the Digital Age. Edited by Melissa Zimdars and Kembrew McLeod. Cambridge, Massachusetts : The MIT Press, 2020.
- Hinsley A. & Holton A. (2021). Fake News Cues: Examining the Impact of Content, Source, and Typology of News Cues on People’s Confidence in Identifying Mis- and Disinformation. International Journal of Communication 15, 4984–5003
References
- Agarwal N. & Bandeli K. K. Blogs, Fake News, and Information Activities. In Digital Hydra: Security Implications of False Information Online, pages 31–45. NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence (StratCom COE), 2017.
- The Guardian, Fake tube sign read out on BBC News and in Commons after Westminster attack, Elena Cresci, 23/3/2017. Link: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/23/fake-tube-sign-read-out-bbc-westminster-attack
- University of Arkansas. Finding reliable sources. Link: https://walton.uark.edu/business-communication-lab/Resources/downloads/Finding_Reliable_Sources.pdf
- Why people fall for misinformation - Joseph Isaac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz6GULbowAk&ab_channel=TED-Ed
- 5 Ways To Spot Fake News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2AdkNH-kWA&ab_channel=CommonSenseMediaforFamilies
Handouts
