News & the Internet

A short guide to the history of ‘fake news’ and disinformation

Fake News, News & the Internet

Posetti, J., & Matthews, A. (2018). A short guide to the history of ‘fake news’ and disinformation: A new ICFJ learning module [PDF file]. Washington, DC: International Center for Journalists. Retrieved from https://www.icfj.org/sites/default/files/2018-07/A%20Short%20Guide%20to%20History%20of%20Fake%20News%20and%20Disinformation_ICFJ%20Final.pdf.

Description: This short eBook addresses the fact that fake news is not new. It offers an overview of major moments in the history of disinformation, in timeline format. It includes events from the Marc Antony smear campaign of 44BC, to the invention of the Gutenberg printing press in 1493, to the 2005 creation of the Colbert Report, to a 2017 European Union report on fake news. The last few pages of the eBook detail an accompanying learning module.

Why I trust it: This resource is a relatively recent publication that was sponsored by the International Center for Journalists, a nonprofit that has worked with more than 100,000 journalists from 180 countries. Its aim is to provide journalists with resources that enhance their skills and expertise, and the resource itself presents facts without bias.

Use: The best way to arm yourself against fake news is to understand how it developed into what it is today. Use this resource to quickly grasp the overall timeline of disinformation, or use the learning module to help others understand as well.

Access: This resource is free for download from icfj.org.

Keys to interpreting media messages

News & Media Literacy, News & the Internet

Silverblatt, A., Smith, A., Don Miller, C., Smith, J., & Brown, N. (2014). Keys to interpreting media messages [worksheet]. Media literacy: Keys to interpreting media messages (4th ed., pp 203-9). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger. Retrieved from http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/899291525.

Description: This worksheet includes a series of questions to help readers determine the process, context, and framework of a media product.

Why I trust it: This worksheet is included in a book meant to aid people in decoding diverse types of media. It is published by Praeger, a company affiliated with ABC-CLIO and trusted by libraries worldwide.

Use: This worksheet can be used to help you evaluate the quality of a piece of information you find on the internet.

Access: Users can access this book through many university libraries including SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Orange. It can be requested through the UAlbany interlibrary loan system.

Hudson’s Washington news media contacts guide

Fact-Checking, Fake News, News & the Internet

Grey House Publishing. (2019). Hudson’s Washington news media contacts guide. Retrieved from http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2166135.

Description: This periodical reference has been published for over 50 years and offers contact information for over 4,000 key media contacts.

Why I trust it: This is a periodical publication, with new, updated editions available annually. It includes media contact information that one would not be able to find on the internet.

Use: Have a question about an article you are reading? See if the author’s contact information—or the contact information of a cited source— is available through this resource.

Access: This resource is available through several university library systems. If it’s not available at your library, try requesting it through an inter-library loan.

The First Amendment encyclopedia

News & the Internet

Middle Tennessee State University. (2019). The First Amendment encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://mtsu.edu/first-amendment.

Description: This online encyclopedia is a collection of articles about free expression in America, curated by faculty of the Middle Tennessee State University.

Why I trust it: This resource is presented by the Free Speech Center and the John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies. It was edited by two scholars, one of whom, Dr. John R. Vile, is a professor of political science and dean of the University Honors College at MTSU. The other scholar, David L. Hudson, Jr., is a former member of the Nashville First Amendment Center, and he now teaches at the Nashville School of Law and Vanderbilt Law School.

Use: First amendment issues are all over the Internet, and understanding them will help you think critically about the information you consume. Use this encyclopedia to understand more about freedom of speech and expression. A unique aspect about this encyclopedia is that it provides you with direct contact information for its collaborators. If you have questions, reach out to these experts for an interview.

Access: Users can access this online encyclopedia using a preferred internet browser from any computer in the United States, and beyond.