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Our devices are screaming Real About at us pretty much 24/7. The How the Libraries teach users to separate fact from fiction challenge is to teach people by Eric Goldscheider to take a deep Steve Fox teaching breath and News Literacy learn how to at UMass Amherst be skeptical shared through massive Not surprisingly, according to Freedman, it begins with and morphing networks. critical thinking, something that is more easily espoused he October 1938 broadcast of Orson Welles’ call “fake news,” she thinks about how the nature of the without being Often, especially on than understood. Universities are not only generators adaptation of the novel by H. G. Wells, The War technology behind new creates an environment rife popular platforms like of knowledge; they are also incubators of critical of the Worlds, performed in a style that mimicked with possibilities and ripe for mischief. cynical. Facebook, people see thought. Libraries exist within their larger institutions as repositories of reliable . They also make news bulletins interrupting regular broadcasting, Therein the conundrum. The cost of reproducing posts shared by people Tfooled many listeners into thinking that Martians had —Steve Fox, information available in ways that allow for vetting, they already know and and distributing information is essentially zero, leading evaluation, and reconsideration in new contexts. landed in central New Jersey and were embarking on a to a proliferation of outlets for all sorts of information whose world view is global rampage. Enough people who tuned in after the pollution. People spread low-quality or even harmful similar to theirs. This Freedman created a one-credit course called “De- drama was underway panicked to the point where information to promote political agendas, sell products, usually reinforces rather mystifying Library Research,” in which she challenges the incident became shorthand for how fake news can roil or just have sick fun. On the other hand, zero-cost than challenges their , creating new problems for students to “look at the foundational building blocks the real world. are pro-social and democratic self-government as entire population segments of what critical thinking really is.” Part of constantly Kate Freedman G’10, Undergraduate pro-democratic and can have positive tune into divergent information streams. questioning new information is what she calls “ Education Librarian for the UMass Amherst effects, from cute animal videos to the Add to this a political arena in which the term “fake evaluation.” Often that means drilling down to see where Libraries, who teaches a course on Arab Spring. On a very messy ” is used as an epithet by people in power to discredit your information is coming from or, in other words, information literacy, grew up near Grover’s Wide Web, we can watch videos of solid reporting that goes contrary to their agenda, and you looking at the sources of your sources. Mill, the real town named as the landing police shooting black men or choose have an atmosphere in which confusion and cynicism can Freedman says that the Library holds a unique place place for the fictional alien invasion. She from any number of educational, easily crowd out reason and integrity. in the university as an institution because it cuts across has a long-standing interest in that enlightening, heartwarming, distracting, UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy disciplines. This is important both because its mission is historical curiosity. and entertaining posts. Free publishing wrote in a Boston Globe op-ed last May, “perpetually focused on the research process, rather than on the end “The reason people thought it was real is here to stay. So is the gaming reinforcing echo chambers and the resulting calcification result, and because it is a resource for every department wasn’t because Welles was deliberately of a medium that we don’t yet of opposing worldviews” not only sow division but on campus. Moreover, many students, especially those trying to deceive them,” she said. It was fully understand. also undermine concepts of truth. “Who needs data or in the incoming class, may not yet have departmental that radio is what she calls “a chronological People need to become better analysis when truth becomes merely a matter of opinion?” affiliation, and they are at a crucial stage in their Kate Freedman created a medium.” People tuning in couldn’t “just consumers of information. Knowing he asked. He challenged researchers, scholars, and development as thinkers. Having just run the gauntlet of one-credit course called rewind” to hear the beginning of the how to evaluate and discern quality teachers “to protect the pursuit of truth on our college getting a high school diploma, they find themselves at a “De-mystifying Library show, or flip back a few pages. Instead, is a sign of information literacy and campuses… through rigorous, fact-based presentation moment when their intellectual horizons are broadening. Research,” in which she they listened to actors playing extremely is important for researchers as well and dissemination of information based on scholarly Steve Fox practiced journalism both in print and challenges students to frightened broadcasters and drew their as all citizens. A post on an processes.” He added, “Today, in this age of ‘fake news,’ online at before coming to the UMass “look at the foundational conclusions based on their responses in website or social media can potentially ‘alternative facts,’ and increasing intolerance for opposing Journalism department. One of the courses he teaches, building blocks of what the moment. reach millions of people around the viewpoints, the defense of this treasured ideal is more News Literacy, deals specifically with fake news. Because critical thinking really is.” “If you think about it, it’s about the world in hours, if not seconds. Fake important than ever.” it was recently approved as fulfilling a general education history of the media,” says Freedman, news, whether a radio drama gone Libraries and librarians have always helped people find requirement, the course he is attracting more and more whose job includes teaching undergraduates to distinguish awry, designed to stir dark facts. In the current climate, they have a non-journalism majors. between good and bad information. When she looks at the emotions, or stories planted by sophisticated operatives special role to play in the pursuit of truth and in teaching “I’m trying to teach students to become better news perverse influence of the jumble of things we currently to incite confusion, is not new. What is new is the ease principles that guide one in identifying the danger signs of consumers,” he said. with which blatant dishonesty can be propagated by being .

40 BOOKMARK 2018 41 BOOKMARK 2018 There’s nothing novel about antagonism between believe things if they are dramatic enough or if there are building a reputable of websites, is 34 pages. The length alone indicates how and people in power. What is new is when a visuals to go with them,” said Fox, especially if they come , whereas today difficult it would be for any individual to apply a full there is a lot of money measure of critical skepticism to everything they read prominent politician’s words at a public speaking from “sources that support their preconceived beliefs.” to be made in simply or hear. makes reporters think twice about their physical safety, By actively seeking out alternative sources of news, attracting attention, said Fox. “Trump and the Trump administration have consumers can hone their radar for what is—and is “I didn’t want it to be overwhelming, but I wanted it to according to Di certainly taken it to another level.” not—credible. give people an idea of the scope of the problem,” said Di Valentino. Over time, she Similarly, agitprop, concerted rumor mongering, Valentino. As a librarian, she sees herself as “a curator of There are also tools to help people become better said, sifting through and propaganda, and even the infiltration resources” people can use to assess verity. consumers of news to verify things that they read, see, vetting news items taxes of are not new. What we haven’t seen before or hear. our brainpower. This is Megan Hayes ’20 is majoring in journalism and also partly because “there are studying environmental science. She hopes to someday only so many minutes cover an environment beat. Her dream job would be with Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy challenged researchers, in the day” and because National Geographic. As a consumer of news, she said One of the problems is that she often triangulates to make a judgment as to whether algorithms are becoming in the past, the financial scholars, and teachers “to protect the pursuit of truth on our more sophisticated in something is reliable by searching to see if it has made it incentives were weighted in onto multiple platforms. college campuses… through rigorous, fact-based their ability to deceive. favor of being accurate and The web pages building a reputable brand, Hayes thinks that there will always be people publishing presentation and dissemination of information include links to sources whereas today there is a things that aren’t true. But as the phenomenon gets more of scholarly articles lot of money to be made in attention, she believes the impact of that behavior will based on scholarly processes.” He added, on the fake news simply attracting attention, diminish. “Today, in this age of ‘fake news,’ ‘alternative phenomenon. Most according to law librarian Does she have faith that news consumers will become require a UMass ID Lisa Di Valentino, who savvy to the pitfalls and promises of our rapidly evolving facts,’ and increasing intolerance for and password to access created a guide about fake information environment? “Yes, I do,” she said. “I do.” them. “There is a lot of news: guides.library.umass. opposing viewpoints, the defense of academic research going edu/fakenews. on right now. It’s sort this treasured ideal is more important of exploding,” she said. There are also links to articles and news stories that she knew of or that people are bringing than ever.” to her attention about various aspects of fake news. Di Valentino also included links to fact-checking websites such as , which grabs headlines that is the “firehose of information that comes at us on a Law and Public Policy Librarian Lisa Di Valentino aggregated some of those tools on a few pages of the are going viral and drills down into their sourcing to daily basis” through any number of electronic platforms, determine whether they are reliable, and Politifact, which according to Fox. “Our devices are screaming at us pretty UMass Amherst Libraries website. They are meant to support Fox’s course and others like it as news literacy rates the accuracy of claims made by U.S. politicians with a much 24/7.” The challenge, he says, is to teach people “Truth-o-Meter.” to “take a deep breath” and learn “how to be skeptical becomes more of a core requirement in the undergraduate without being cynical.” curriculum. There is also a link to a guide for evaluating websites based on telltale signs like odd domain names, writing Fundamental to this is sharing responsibly. Don’t repost One of the problems is that in the past, the financial Megan Hayes ’20 (center), a journalism major studying incentives were weighted in favor of being accurate and style, sources, design, and how the site describes itself. environmental science, visited Atlas Farm in South something unless you know it is true. “People tend to The LibGuide, which includes a table evaluating hundreds Deerfield to learn about organic farming this fall.

HOW TO SPOT FAKE NEWS

CONSIDER THE READ BEYOND CHECK THE SUPPORTING CHECK THE IS IT A JOKE? CHECK YOUR ASK THE SOURCE Headlines can be AUTHOR SOURCES DATE If it is too outlandish, BIASES EXPERTS Click away from the outrageous in an Do a quick search on Click on those links. Reposting old news it might be satire. Consider if your own Ask a librarian story to investigate effort to get clicks. the author. Are they Determine if the stories doesn’t mean Research the site and beliefs could affect or consult a the site, its mission, What’s the credible? Are info given actually they’re relevant to author to be sure. your judgment. fact-checking site. whole story? 42and BOOKMARK its contact 2018 info. they real? supports the story. current events. 43 BOOKMARK 2018