1. SLIDE DECK 6: Online Verification Skills

2. Is this a castle house in Ireland?
Yes or no?
Write down your answer.

3. Did a squirrel get prosthetic wheels?
Yes or no?
Write down your answer.

4. Did world leaders huddle around Russian President Putin?
Yes or no?
Write down your answer.

5. Discussion Do you always believe what you see online?
How do you know that what you see online is true? Have you ever been fooled?
What criteria do you use to assess if something is true or trustworthy?

6. Fact-check This is Ko Tapu, an island in Thailand,
which does not include a castle

7. Fact-check
This Turkish squirrel lost its paws in a mouse trap, and did, in fact, get prosthetic wheels

8. Vladimir Putin was digitally added to this photo
Fact-check
Vladimir Putin was digitally added to this photo

9. What is ‘information pollution’
Many kinds of false and misleading information circulate online
This is called ‘information pollution’
We need to figure out where information is coming from and whether it is real or truthful

10. False information online
There are two main types:
Misinformation is when people share something they think is true, but isn’t.
Disinformation is when people share false or misleading information on purpose. The goal is to influence and cause harm.

11. Misinformation

12. Disinformation
False information can be designed to mislead and achieve a political goal.
For example, telling people they can vote through Twitter, when they cannot.
Disinformation from 2016 US presidential election

13. Why do people create false information?
Financial Reasons: The site’s owner sells advertising, and the more clicks (page views) they get, the more money they earn.
Political Reasons: Some people want to mislead others, or encourage them to do something or think in a certain way.

14. How does false information spread?
People who make false posts try to cause an emotional reaction.
Content that causes an emotional reaction makes people want to share it with others before checking if it is true.
Social media highlights popular content. When people share false posts it makes them even more popular and seen by more people.

15. What can we do? Think critically about what we see online.
Assess our emotions and stop to check before sharing information.
Learn the tools to fact-check information.
Develop the habits to verify sources and claims.
Establish a trusted list of information and news sources.