Due to the rise of social media, the majority of our time on the Internet is spent gathering, sharing, and viewing information. And because so much information is available with just a swipe or a tap, we are constantly being exposed to a bombardment of headlines, so much so that we neglect being critical and evaluating whether it is true or not. As a result, it is becoming increasingly easy for us to digest information that may not even be creditable.
From clickbait advertisements to news articles, the trend is unfortunately becoming more and more common.
“And it’s going to get worse,” Ramon Delgado, the program coordinator of the School of Media and Performing Arts at GBC and a professor who works in the field of media, said. “Media is in for a rough time.”
So how can students take the steps to become more observant and avoid being misinformed?
“The best way to be informed is not choosing what you want to know – don’t completely rely on a source that you agree with to provide you with information when it’s what you want to hear,” said Delgado. Students need to decide for themselves what their opinion is, then develop a middle ground where they can view information from an unbiased perspective.
However difficult it may be to remain unbiased, it is good practice to keep in mind the following according to Delgado:
How is the information being reported?
Watch for any language that stands out. Name calling, words with negative connotation, and accusations with no backing are all red flags
Is the author and publisher a reliable source?
“You feel safe when someone earns the right to be called reliable,” said Delgado. If the author and/or publisher has a reputation of staying in the middle with their reporting, it’s safe to say that the source isn’t pushing its own opinions or agenda.
How old is this information?
Check the date posted and when it was last updated. Reporting on current events is constantly updated. Always check for ongoing developments.
Are both sides of the story presented?
You can tell if a piece of information is biased by its headline or by the time it takes you to read the first sentence. If only one side or perspective is being presented, there is a good chance the article won’t be entirely true.
Is there more information on this topic?
Research, research, research! The more digging you do on a topic, the more sources and perspectives you’ll find. Fact checking is critical when determining if a source is reliable.
Is the article satirical?
Articles that are satirical are commonly posted by sources that make content with the sole purpose of entertainment rather than being informative. Satirical writing usually ridicules by using humour to criticize a topic; this is a common occurrence in media, regarding politics or contemporary news.
“Media does have the responsibility to stop disinformation,” Delgado said. “However, there’s still responsibility as the receiver. There’s an illusion of being unbiased, but you can’t trust a source especially when you agree with it.”
“Question your opinions, start a dialogue with yourself. What does the other side look like? We are the ones who have to change, and not blindly believe before we question.”
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story indicated Ramon Delgado is a program coordinator at the School of Design and Information Technology. He is a program coordinator at the School of Media and Performing Arts. The Dialog regrets this mistake.
