RECOGNIZE & COUNTER MIS/DIS INFORMATION
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Understanding the Threat
The Founders believed that an informed citizenry—supported by free speech, a free press, and public education—was essential for democracy, enabling debates based on shared facts. Although public discourse has long been marred by conspiracy theories and hate speech, the circulation of claims of election fraud has severely undermined confidence in the system. Falsehoods can rapidly proliferate online, misleading the public about candidates and policies, distorting democratic dialogue, and eroding the public's trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard their voices. The spread of mis- and disinformation poses a critical threat to U.S. democracy.
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Know Your News
Understand the biases of your media sources and fact-check news by visiting:
The Media Bias Chart,by Ad Fontes Media, rates various media sources on two different scales: political bias and reliability.
All Sides Media Bias Chart uses blind surveys across the political spectrum, multi-partisan and other in-depth analyses and user ratings to rate the bias of media outlets and writers.
Monitor VerbaAI’s Fact Check Feed to view reports from leading fact-checking organizations regarding political news or check Duke Reporters Lab for additional resources..
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Guard Against Mis/Disinformation
Listen to NPR’s Life Kit on “Fake News: How to spot misinformation.”
Review News Literacy Project’s RumorGuard to learn to evaluate a claim and related techniques.
Complete Braver Angels“Skills for Social Media eCourse.” to avoid contributing to polarization.
Read FiveThirtyEight’s “When to Trust a Story that Uses Unnamed Sources.”
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Stay Informed
Monitor VerbaAI's LWV Utah Research to gain critical, AI-powered insights on current developments in key areas of interest. Deepen your understanding on topics by querying VerbaAI’s comprehensive database.
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Build Your Literacy
Take News Literacy Project’s News Literacy Quiz
Visit LWV- Minnesota’s Know Your News Guide for tips on spotting / combating dis/mis- information and minimizing news overload.
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Engage in Difficult Conversations
Complete the Braver Angels eCourse on Bridging the Divide.
Listen to NPR’s Life Kit,“To combat misinformation, start with connections, not correction.”Learn to calmly engage in difficult conversations through Dignity Index resources.