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Understanding Media Literacy
and Managing Misinformation
Damian Radcliffe
Carolyn S. Chambers Professor of Journalism
University of Oregon
15th July 2021

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Plan for today
1. Definitions
2. Spotlight on misinformation
3. Tips and Tools
4. Alumni experiences
5. Q&A

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Many hats
Carolyn S. Chambers Professor in Journalism
University of Oregon
Fellow, Tow Center for Digital Journalism
Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism
Honorary Research Fellow
Cardiff University, School of Journalism, Media and Culture Studies
Fellow
Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)

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1995 – 1999: The Local Radio Company
1999 – 2003: BBC
2003 – 2008: CSV Media (NGO)
2008 – 2012: Ofcom (UK Office of Communications)
2012 - 2014: ictQATAR (Ministry of Information and Communication Technology)
2012 + Freelance journalist + trainer
2015+ University of Oregon
Background + timeline
1995 2018

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Those hats…
• Journalist
• Researcher
• Educator and Trainer
Lens for our training…

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Yes, we’re cousins!

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Definitions

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Media literacy enables people to have the skills, knowledge and
understanding to make full use of the opportunities presented by both
traditional and new communications services.
Media literacy also helps people to manage content and
communications, and protect themselves and their families from the
potential risks associated with using these services.
Current Ofcom definition

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Emerged as a major source of
concern from 2016 onwards

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How it works

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Motive matters

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Examples

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Eric TuckerTweet
False context

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Political endorsements Flurry of interest, awareness and emergence
of this issue (2015/16)
“Creative” journalism

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Realistic looking websites
Fake websites

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Social Media
Conspiracy theories

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November
2015 terrorist
attacks in Paris
(137 people died)
Parody

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Big concern during a pandemic

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Iran:
Over 700 die
drinking
alcohol to
cure COVID

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Nigeria Two patients overdosed on the anti-
malaria drug chloroquine

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Historic examples: 1700s
18th Century Europe
• Publishers of fake news fined
and banned in the Netherlands.
• Gerard Lodewijk van der Macht, banned four times by Dutch
authorities. Each time he moved and restarted his press.

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1782: Boston, USA
Benjamin Franklin spread fake news to intensify
the American revolution.

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1917: Yorkshire, UK

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Why now?

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1. Fake news looks a lot like real news

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2. Tech doesn’t discern fact from fiction

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3. Algorithms show us more of what
we like, not what we need to know

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4. Rise of the bots +
weaponization of the web

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5. Tech has pulled money away
from sources of real reporting

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Longer term trends
Exacerbated during COVID.
Here’s five worth noting...

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1. Trust in
Journalism

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2. Society + media
= more partisan

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3. Reduced media freedom

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Tell us about: Your Experiences
News where you are
https://rsf.org/en/ranking/2021

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Tell us about: Your Experiences
4. Controlling the message

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5. All getting more sophisticated

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10x top tips

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1. Why?

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Understand your source
2. Understand your source

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"AOC proposed a
motorcycle ban"

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3. Double check everything

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4. Be skeptical

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5. Learn how to reverse image search

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6. Slow Down

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Misinformation can have major consequences

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Constants
7. Be mindful as stories break

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And where…

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8. Check your emotions

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9. Find the
local
equivalent of
Snopes,
PolitiFact etc.

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10. Don’t automatically
trust authority figures

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Yes, we’re cousins!

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Yes, we’re cousins!

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“False information spreads just
like accurate information.”
Farida Vis, Sheffield University research fellow
Remember!

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Email: damianr@uoregon.edu
Twitter: @damianradcliffe
Web: www.damianradcliffe.com
Thanks for listening