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United Nations United Nations Educational, Scientific and Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Cultural Organization

JOURNALISM,, ‘FAKE NE‘FAKEWS NE’ WS’ AND DISINANDFORM DISINAFTIONORMA TION A Model Course for Journalism A Model Course for Journalism Educators and Trainers Worldwide Educators and Trainers Worldwide JOURNALISMJOURNALISM UNDER THR UNDEREAT THREAT

Information is theInformation engine of development is the engine in ofthe development 20th and 21st in thecentury. 20th Thisand is21st fueled century. by independent This is fueled by independent media that cannews act media as a trusted that can guardian act as aof trusted public guardianinterest, andof public as an interest, essential and part as ofan society’s essential part of society’s checks and balanceschecks on power. and balances But recent on power.developments But recent have developments put journalism have under put fire. journalism under fire.

Political, technological,Political, economic technological, and social economic transformations and social aretransformations inexorably reshaping are inexorably the reshaping the landscapecommunications and raising landscape many questionsand raising aboutmany thequestions quality, impactabout theand quality,credibility impact of and credibility of journalism. In addition,journalism. the In addition, ecologythe information is being contaminated ecology is being by orchestratedcontaminated campaigns by orchestrated to campaigns to spread untruths viaspread . untruths via This disinformation. disruption is Thisaccompanied disruption by is manipulationaccompanied of by half- manipulation via of half-truths via mal-information, mal-information,and by the unwitting and bysharing the unwitting of misinformation. sharing of misinformation.

This is the context Thisin which is the UNESCO context isin publishing which UNESCO a model is publishing curriculum a onmodel a highly curriculum topical onand a highly topical and significant subject.significant The new resource subject. Theis aimed new mainlyresource at isjournalism aimed mainly educators at journalism and trainers, educators but is and also trainers, but is also of direct interest toof practicing direct interest to practicing and others journalists who are and interested others inwho the are qualityinterested of information in the quality of information in circulation. in circulation.

Political parties, Politicalhealth professionals, parties, health businesspeople, professionals, scientists, businesspeople, election scientists, monitors, election NGOs and monitors, others NGOs and others will also find usefulwill insight also infind this useful publication. insight in The this idea publication. is not to prescribeThe idea isa curriculum,not to prescribe but toa curriculum,present but to present knowledge resourcesknowledge for insight resources and adaptation for insight as and each adaptation reader sees as fit.each reader sees fit. FindingC ways through contemporary information challenges is of utmost importance for society, M Finding ways through contemporary information challenges is of utmost importance for society, including governments,including governments, companies, Internet educators, companies, NGOs, etc.educators, NGOs,HOW etc. CAN JOURNALISTS AND Y

While CMsome governments are seeking to tackle the problems through regulation,JOURNALISM it is unlikely that STUDEN this TS PLAY While some governments are seeking to tackle the problems through regulation, it is unlikely that this can resolveMY the matter at scale. Moreover, it carries major risks of abuse, where legitimate freedom can resolve the matter at scale. Moreover, it carries majorTHEIR risks of Oabuse,WN wherePAR legitimateT? freedom of expressionCY and authentic journalism can become subject to new by a ‘Ministry of of expression and authentic journalism can become subject to new censorship by a ‘Ministry of ’.CMY Truth’. K Another response is by companies seeking technological solutions, which may mitigate and flag some problems. These stepsAnother too carryresponse their is own by companies risks – especially seeking if technologicalleft only to algorithms. solutions, Technicalwhich may measuresmitigate and flag some should never excludeproblems. having peopleThese steps to assess too carry and curate their own information risks – especially based on if lefta clear only and to transparentalgorithms. editorial policy informedTechnical by internationalmeasures should standards never excludeon rights having to free people expression, to assess association, and curate privacy information and based on a redress options. clear and transparent editorial policy informed by international standards on rights to free expression, association, privacy and redress options. In other responses, attention is being given to making audiences more discriminating and resilient, through empowering themIn with other critical responses, Media attentionand Information is being Literacy given to competencies.These making audiences stepsmore discriminating are also part of and resilient, the solution, althoughthrough they empowering are generally them of a withmedium- critical term Media nature. and Information Literacy competencies. These steps are also part of the solution, although they are generally of a medium- term nature.

HOW CAN JOURNALIFor journalistsSTS AND and journalism JOURNALISM students, STUDEN it is mission-criticalTS PLAY THEIR to understand OWN PtheAR natureT? and magnitude of both the threats and have a holistic view of the attempts to counter them. For journalists and journalism students, it is mission-critical to understand the nature and magnitude of both the threats and haveThis a modelholistic curriculum view of the sets attempts out how tomedia counter actors them. need understand that their best contribution is by exemplary journalistic practice that serves as a highly valued and credible alternative to corrupted This model curriculuminformation. sets out how media actors need understand that their best contribution is by exemplary journalisticThis meanspractice doubling that serves down as on a verificationhighly valued and and ethical credible journalism alternative in the to publiccorrupted interest, and learning information. This newmeans skills doubling to deal down with theon verificationnew threats likeand ‘deepethical fakes’.journalism in the public interest, and learning new skills to deal with the new threats like ‘deep fakes’.

The curriculum additionallyThe curriculum shows additionally that journalists shows also that need journalists to ramp alsoup their need coverage to ramp ofup their coverage of disinformation actors,disinformation even outside actors, of election even outside times. of Further,election that times. journalists Further, can that partner journalists with can partner with others, including communities,others, including in combatting communities, pollution in combatting of the information pollution of environment. the information environment. JOURNALISM,JOURNALISM, ‘FAKE NEW ‘FSAKE’ AND NE DISINWS’ ANDFORM DISINATIONFORMATION

A Model CourseA f orModel Journalism Course E fduor cJournalismators and T Erainersducators W orldwideand Trainers Worldwide

For those directly involvedFor those in directly empowering involved journalists in empowering and student journalists journalists, and student this study journalists, provides this a frame study- provides a frame- work for inquiry, andwork lessons for inquiry, to help and navigate lessons the to increasinglyhelp navigate murky the increasingly information murky environment. information It environment. It examines the deploymentexamines of the ‘fake deployment news’ as a ofterm ‘fake to news’discredit as a journalism, term to discredit and sets journalism, out an alternative and sets out an alternative framework coveringframework disinformation covering and disinformation misinformation, and andmisinformation, (to a lesser extent) and (to mal-information a lesser extent) and mal-information and emotive propa-ganda.emotive The lessons propa-ganda. are contextual, The lessons theoretical are contextual, and in theoreticalthe case of digitaland in theverification, case of digital verification, extremely practical.extremely The curriculum practical. falls The into curriculum two distinct falls intoparts: two the distinctfirst four parts: modules the framefirst four the modulesproblem frame the problem and give it context,and while give the it context,last four whilefocus theon responseslast four focus to ‘information on responses disorder’ to ‘information and its consequences. disorder’ and its consequences.

COURSE MODULCOUES RANDSE MODUL CONTRIBUES ANDTOR CSONTRIBU TORS

‘Truth, Trust and‘Truth, Journalism: Trust and Journalism: Disorder: Disorder: 1encourages learners 1toen thinkcour aboutages learne the brrsoader to think about the broader2 2 unpacks the problem andunpac givkess the a fr pamroblemework and for gives a framework for understanding the dimensionsunderstanding of the theproblem. dimensions of the problem. confidence in journalism.con (Cherilynfidence in Ir journalism.eton) (Cherilyn Ireton) (Claire Wardle and Hossein(Claire Derakhshan) Wardle and Hossein Derakhshan)

‘A Selected Hist‘Ao rSelecy of ted History of Digital Technology,Digital Social Technology, Platforms Social Platforms and the Spread of andDis/ theMisinformation’ Spread of Dis/ Misinformation’ 4elaborates on how the4elaborates disinformation on how crisis the is disinformation crisis is 3 Ecosystem’3 Ecosystem’ magnified in the contextmagnified of 24/7 inon-demand the context digital of 24/7 on-demand digital disinformation, misinformationputs disinformation, and propaganda misinformation in and propaganda in news consumption patternsnews consumption and dramatic patterns and dramatic newsroom a historical perspective.a historical perspective. cutbacks. cutbacks. 5 5 6 ‘Fact-checking6 ‘F ac101’t-checking 101’ asks how those who prasomoks htoe wjournalism, those who including promote journalism, including respond to the challenrgespondes. (Magda to the Abu- challenFadil)ges. (Magda Abu-Fadil) and opinion. (Alexios Maandn topinion.zarlis) (Alexios Mantzarlis)

Assessing SourAssessingces and Sources and When JournalisWhents and Journali their sts and their Visual ContentVisual’ Content’ Sources are targSoureted’ces are targeted’ 7encourages learners 7toencourages think about learners the broader to think about the broader8deals with the emerging8deals issue with of disinformation-driventhe emerging issue of disinformation-driven significance and consequencessignificance of disinformationand consequences and of disinformationtargeting and of journaliststargeting online, highlightingof journalists newonline, digital highlighting new digital misinformation, and misinformation,how these feed the and crisis how of these feed the crisisthreats of including pyschologicalthreats including impacts pyschologicalof gendered impacts of gendered confidence in journalism.confidence (Tom Trewinnard in journalism. & Fergus (Tom Bell) Trewinnard & Fergusonline Bell) harassment. online harassment. ABOUT THEABOUT AUTHO THERS A UTHORS

Cherilyn IretonCherilyn Ireton

World Editors Forum,World the Eglobalditors Forum, the global Australian journalisAut andstralian academic. journali st and academic. network for editorsn withinetwork W forAN-IF edit-ors within WAN-IF- She is a Senior ReseaSherch is F aell Seniorow with Resea rch Fellow with RA. She is a seasonedRA .n Sheewspaper is a seasoned professional, havingp rspeofessional,nt more having spent more of Journalism at theof Uni Journalismversity of a t the University of than 20 years on Souththan Afri20 yceaanr ns eonw spapeSouthr s,Afri asc ana , asO ax ford. There, she Oleadsxfor d.RI STheJ's rne,e wshe Journalism leads RIS J'sInn noevwa- Journalism Innova and editorialjournali manast andger onedi thetorial cou manantry'sger on the country's

(2017). (2017).

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2030 AGENDA FOR2030 SU ASGENTAINABLEDA FOR DEVE SUSLTOPMENTAINABLE DEVELSuOPMENTstainable DevSuelopmestainablent Goal Dev elopme(SDG) 16nt Goal (SDG) 16 seeks to ‘promotesee peacks etfulo ‘p andromo inclusite peacve esociful eandt- inclusive societ ies for sustainableies de fvorelopme sustainablent, pro dvideevelopme accessn t, provide access are indispensable for thear eachi indispensableevement of ftheor the 2030 achi Ageendaveme fnort ofSu thestainable 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

16.10 aims to ‘ensu16.10re public aims accessto ‘ensu tore i npublicforma access- to informa UNESCO Contact UNESCO Contact Guy Berger Guy Berger - UNESCO Director UNESCO Director Freedom of Expression & MediaFreedom Developme of Exprnessiont & [email protected] [email protected] global monitoringglobal of tw omoni inditcoringators ofrel tawtedo indi to cators related to

Yi-han Wen Yi-han Wen Target 16.10. Target 16.10. UNESCO Project CoordinatorUNESCO Project Coordinator [email protected] [email protected]