Tl;DR of my wider deck (https://www.slideshare.net/mrdamian/understanding-media-literacy-and-misinformation) on managing information disorder, defining media literacy and knowing how to spot - and manage - misinformation online. This presentation includes links to valuable resources on managing disinformation, digital trends and research on media literacy in Europe.

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Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Understanding Media Literacy
and Managing Misinformation
Damian Radcliffe
Carolyn S. Chambers Professor of Journalism
University of Oregon
20th July 2022
RECAP AND RESOURCES (2022-23)

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Key Takeaways

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Misinformation
comes in many forms
Key Points
1. Often material (e.g. images and videos) taken out of context.
2. Purpose and intent of misinformation is important to
understand. Is there an agenda?
3. Misinformation from public figures - such as politicians
and celebrities – can gain considerable traction.
4. Can also come from ordinary people too, especially in
breaking news situations.

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Five key challenges
1. Fake news and online news looks the same online.
2. Social networks are major vectors of misinformation.
• Designed to show content which reinforce existing points of view (confirmation bias
/ filter bubbles).
• Don’t / Seldom fact-check.
• Takedowns (if they happen) can take a long time.
3. Speed / Expectations for news and information.
• Ease with which false/inaccurate/misleads content can be reshared.
• Misinformation spreads in information vacuums.
• Pressure journalists are under to publish breaking news.

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Key challenges (cont)
4. Ability to fact-check politicians
(often labelled “Fake News” by said politicians)
5. Challenge when public figures may be
major sources of misinformation.

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1. Learn the basics of verification

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2.
Consume
media –
including
social
media -
critically

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Especially during a public health crisis
3. Identify and find trusted sources

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Some ideas from our panel
1. In-country coverage from reputable international outlets e.g. AP, New York Times, BBC etc.
2. Independent local media, including local fact checking organizations.
3. Ask fellow researchers and educators what resources they use + trust (and why).
4. Get to know people at your Embassy. They have a good sense of what’s happening on the ground.
5. Tap into alumni – like our three great panelists - for more country-specific insights.

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Remember

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Essential
Resources

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Resources for you, your
research and students
1. First Draft: How to use reverse image
search to verify stories on your phone
(video) https://youtu.be/HiX6XYpZ5AU
2. Information Futures Lab (Brown
University)
https://sites.brown.edu/informationfutures/
3. UNESCO also has many useful
materials e.g.
https://en.unesco.org/fightfakenews
4. 2012, but still a good overview of how
verification works)

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Resources (country level)
1. Digital News Report 2022: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University –
profiles of media + audience habits for 46 countries.
https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2022
2. European Union / Council of Europe: includes research on teaching media literacy, policy
recommendations and more.
https://nesetweb.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AR2_Full_Report_With_identifiers_Teaching-Media-Literacy.pdf
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/media-literacy
3. We Are Social / Data Reportal: detailed insights on digital habits for every country in the world!
https://datareportal.com/library
4. Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders: Country profiles and assessments
https://freedomhouse.org/countries/freedom-world/scores and https://rsf.org/en

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Wider research tools
1. Journalist’s Resource: Tips and insights based on academic
research. https://journalistsresource.org/
2. UNESCO handbook on Journalism, 'Fake News' and
Disinformation: available in multiple languages.
https://en.unesco.org/fightfakenews
3. Poynter: A guide to anti-misinformation actions around the
world (2019) https://www.poynter.org/ifcn/anti-misinformation-actions/
4. European Digital Media Observatory: Media Literacy Country
Profiles https://edmo.eu/media-literacy/repository/

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There’s lots of other great resources
(and not enough time/space to name them all)
Please feel free to share your recommendations:
damianr@uoregon.edu