Media Literacy and Democracy – Dona Murphey

Media Literacy and Democracy

  • April 17, 2019

The overwhelmingly educated, thoughtful, compassionate people of Pearland have been reaching out to us about fake news and the importance of media literacy. Here are some tips* on how to discern when a site is not to be trusted.

1. Credibility – Do they provide insight into leadership and mission? Is the reporting consistent with said mission? Is there a professional email for contact? What is the background authors / editors claim, and can it be validated?

2. Quality – Is the site replete with spelling and grammatical errors? Does this inattention to detail give you confidence about the integrity of the reporting?

3. Sources and citations – Do they cite primary sources and accurately reference those sources? In a world where 60% of people will share provocative headlines without reading any further**, fake news thrives. Challenge yourself to interrogate the primary source.

Exercise: Do we have any fake news sites in our community? What is your evidence?

Those who defy journalistic ethics by intentionally distorting information and invoking stereotypes are a threat to a healthy democracy.

*https://www.summer.harvard.edu/inside-summer/4-tips-spotting-fake-news-story

**https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/06/16/six-in-10-of-you-will-share-this-link-without-reading-it-according-to-a-new-and-depressing-study/?utm_term=.c30320b4015d

#activecitizenship #medialiteracy

About the Author Dr Dona Kim Murphey

Dona Murphey is running for Pearland ISD Board of Trustees Position 5.

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