Fake News:
What it is, How to Spot it and How to Kill it.
You cannot turn on the TV, radio or get online these days without hearing about the epidemic of fake news. Fake news, unlike satire, is propaganda, a hoax or other misinformation that is deliberately spread to mislead and influence people. It’s not a new concept, but recently fake news seems to be growing in pervasiveness and sophistication; making it harder to spot for the average reader.
Social media seems to be a breeding ground, but fake news is found in traditional media outlets as well. And the problem only gets bigger. In the words of Snopes.com founder David Mikkelson, “The fictions and fabrications that comprise fake news are but a subset of the larger bad news phenomenon, which also encompasses many forms of shoddy, unresearched, error-filled, and deliberately misleading reporting that do a disservice to everyone.”
What’s being done?
Some sites like Facebook and Google are stepping up with changes. According to an article in BetaNews, Facebook has rolled out some key changes to combat the tidal wave of fake news stating, “Facebook will no longer personalize news for individual users [and] headlines and sources will be listed alongside topic headings to help give context.” And both Facebook and Google are taking steps to keep fake news sites from cashing in on their advertising networks according to the New York Times.
Slate.com has introduced a Chrome browser extension called This Is Fake which will alert you to stories Slate.com had deemed “fake”.
Another Chrome extension, the B.S. Detector flags stories found on a list of sites “likely to contain false information presented as news.”
These tools above are handy, but they rely on someone else’s opinion of what is true and reliable. Their determinations should not stand in for what you have determined to be true and reliable. Don’t put your faith in these online flags and alerts. They should just be another factor to consider.
What can you do?
The problem isn’t just the existence of fake news, but our ability to spot it.
A recent study from Stanford University states that, “with a stunning and dismaying consistency…young people’s ability to reason about the information on the Internet can be summed up in one word: bleak.”
To sharpen your critical thinking skills, the next time you read an article put it to the
CRAAP Test. In brief, the CRAAP Test suggests checking the following:
Currency: When was the information published or posted? Has the information been revised or updated?
Relevance: Who is the intended audience?
Authority: Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor? What are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations? Is the author qualified to write on the topic? Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
Accuracy: Where does the information come from? Is the information supported by evidence? Has the information been reviewed or refereed? Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?
Purpose: What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade? Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
Another great source of tips on spotting fake news is FactCheck.org
Perhaps the hardest part of the fact-checking process is examining your own bias. If a story speaks so directly to your own views that it seems too good to be true-it just might be. Remember, every human being has a bias. Full disclosure: as the author of this article I have a bias. I’m a librarian so my job in life is to teach people to think critically and evaluate information. I am not impartial to this issue of critically examining what you read and hear. I am actively trying to get you to do it.
Stopping Fake News
Lastly, think before you share. The only way to stop the spread of fake news is to stop spreading fake news. Seems kind of obvious right? It’s so easy to automatically hit “Like” or “Share” or re-tweet something you read before checking it out. But when you do that you are contributing to the glut of malarkey on the internet that makes it harder to find the good stuff. It’s already hard enough to wade through the cesspool without people raising the high water line.
But don’t take my word for it. Check out the sources I linked to. Make up your own mind. There is no substitute for your own eyes and brain.
Never shut off your brain.
Image credits: https://firstdraftnews.com/how-to-stop-fake-news-on-facebook-without-the-flags/
http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/14/fake-news-sites/
Author Archives: chaparks15
24-hour Study Room in Scholes
It’s been a long time, but the 24-Hour Study Room is now open at Scholes!
The 24-Hour Study Room is a newly renovated and improved space, created in response to student requests and feedback earlier this year. This area is designed to be somewhere students can go at any time of day or night to study, work on papers or projects, print assignments, or generally have a quiet space that’s not their rooms.
The renovation project was led by Mechele Romanchock, our User Services Librarian, who joined the team just this spring. Mechele solicited ideas and feedback from students by setting out a whiteboard in the Scholes lobby for several weeks, and recording the suggestions our patrons shared with us.
One of the biggest areas of improvement to the room is in its technology. The room is now equipped with PCs, each of which features MS Office and Solidworks. It also has strong wireless internet for those who prefer to use their own laptops or devices. A black and white printer stands ready for all your late-night (or early morning, or mid-afternoon) printing needs.
There are also resources for those who prefer to work offline, including a group study area with a whiteboard.
In order to make sure both the students using the facilities and the facilities themselves are safe and secure, the 24-Hour Study Room is accessible via a keycode, which is available only to current AU students. Students must go to the front desk at Scholes to get the code, and present their student ID at the time. Alfred University Security has also kindly agreed to add the Study Room to their regular rounds, meaning a security officer will be by at regular intervals to make sure everything’s ok.
The door (and its keypad) are on the ground floor of Scholes, facing Pine Street and Harder Hall. We hope you’ll all come make use of this great new space!
AU Libraries mark Open Access week
During the week of October 24-28, the Alfred University Libraries celebrated Open Access Week with a series of SUNY-sponsored webinars. The webinars highlighted the potential of this movement to benefit libraries and researchers.
What is Open Access?
Open Access is the free, immediate, online availability of research articles, combined with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment. This contrasts with the dominant scholarly communication system that puts research behind publisher “pay walls” and asks authors to relinquish rights to their own writing.
Why does Open Access matter?
The current system of scholarly publishing puts large financial burdens on libraries and severely restricts access to scholarly research. Faculty contribute research articles to scholarly journals for free, signing away their copyright in the process, and libraries must then buy back this content through annual subscription fees that have grown by as much as 400% in recent years.
As illustrated in the chart below, some major scientific publishers are realizing profits that exceed the returns of successful companies like Google and Apple:
What can you do to support the Open Access movement?
Authors can take steps to preserve their rights. To learn more, watch this very informative webinar on “Understanding and Protecting Your Rights” by Jill Cirasella of the City University of New York.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcL7IxZo3H0]
How do the AU Libraries plan to improve access to faculty and student research?
You may have heard of AURA, Alfred University’s institutional repository. AURA is designed to provide access and to ensure the long-term preservation of documents produced at Alfred University, including faculty and student research.
The Open Access movement is an important piece of the puzzle, because many publishers place restrictions on what faculty can do with their own work, making it more difficult for libraries to archive copies locally.
The more faculty and students learn about their own rights, and take concrete steps to retain those rights, the easier it will be for libraries like ours to ensure long-term access to the intellectual output of our campus.
-Ellen Bahr, Information Systems Librarian, Herrick Library
Check Out Our New Study Rooms at the Herrick Library!
Looking for a quiet space to study or meet in? Whether you are looking for an area for independent study or to meet with others, Herrick offers several options!
If you are interested in reserving a room for a particular date and time, there are four rooms to choose from: The Seminar Room (106), The Conference Room (202), the Children’s Room (212), and the Computer Lab (120).
The Seminar Room is an excellent option for group meetings. Along with four rectangular tables and eight chairs (with more chairs available if needed), it comes equipped with a ceiling mounted projector and screen, laptop, LCD television, and podium with a built-in sound system. A conference phone is also available for set-up upon request. You will find the Seminar Room on the first floor near the Learning Commons; it is the last room on the left:
The Conference Room is also an excellent option for group meetings. One large conference table and 12 chairs sit in the center of the room. It is best for groups who do not require a projector on a regular basis or AV capabilities. Herrick’s “Harry Potter” room, as many of our students refer to it, holds a historic charm that makes it an appealing space to meet either in groups or individually. It is located on the second floor at the top of the stairs leading from near the main entrance and to the right:
The Computer Lab, opposite the front desk on the first floor, is available for student use at all times during library hours. It is also ideal for class or club meetings which require computer and internet access. The lab includes 16 computers and chairs (extra chairs may be brought in from other areas of the library for larger groups). It is also equipped with an LCD projector, moveable podium, desktop computer with sound system, and an erasable whiteboard. Additional laptops, dry-erase markers, and a remote control for the LCD projector may be checked out at the front desk:
The Children’s Room is perfect for individual and group study sessions, as well as for smaller club meetings. Located on the second floor directly in front of the stairs leading from near the main entrance to the library, the room contains one table and eight standard chairs, two armchairs, and one rocking chair. It also includes one desktop computer for personal research and browsing:
In addition to the four rooms above, the BookEnd Lounge is also available for reservation upon request. This area is large, open, and welcoming, making it accommodating for faculty, staff, and student campus events. In the past, the lounge has hosted events such as Team Trivia Night, Massage and Therapy Dog Night, short-term art exhibits and auctions, orientations, ceremonies, and receptions. The BookEnd Lounge also has a café area that may be used to lay out food and beverages for guests.
To make a reservation, please visit the following link to check for room availability and to make a room reservation request: http://herrick.alfred.edu/index.php/reservation-request-form
If you are a walk-in, you are welcome to use the Seminar Room, Conference Room, Children’s Room, Computer Lab, and BookEnd Lounge for personal use as long as they have not already been reserved for that time. J
There are also other options for walk-ins! Herrick has recently constructed four new study rooms that are available on a first come, first serve basis.
Two of the study rooms, Room 20 and Room 21, are located opposite the elevator on the ground floor of the library:
One study room, Room 122, is located first floor near the side entrance of the library :
Last but not least, there is another study room near the ground floor entrance to the library near the parking lot. This study room is also known as Room 25:
Please feel free to stop by Herrick to check out all of our rooms in person!
Come Enjoy Manuscripts at Scholes Library
You’re all invited! Come enjoy light refreshments in the Scholes Library while admiring illuminated manuscript pages created by our students, alongside beautiful manuscript reproductions from Special Collections