Tag Archives: news

Google partners with fact-checking network to fight fake news | engadget #fakenews #factcheck #librarianship #infopros @Google

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Let’s hope IFCN hires more librarians as verified fact checkers…and not “would-be fake news detectives.”

Google is taking its battle against misleading information to the real world. The company has partnered with the International Fact-Checking Network, a nonpartisan organization run by The Poynter Institute that advocates across the globe for accuracy in online articles. The IFCN holds an annual fact-checking conference, funds fellowships and provides training for would-be fake-news detectives, plus it’s the author behind a widely accepted code of principles for media organizations.

Google plans to work with the IFCN in three main ways: increasing the number of verified fact checkers in the world, expanding the code of principles into new regions, and offering free fact-checking tools.

READ MORE: Google partners with fact-checking network to fight fake news | engadget

infophile blog + Christiane Amanpour: How to seek truth in the era of fake news | TED Talk + IFLA Infographic #fakenews #ethics #librarianship #journalism #info #media #facts #IFLA

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A pointed and realistic viewpoint on the state of journalism today.

One of my responsibilities as Research & Strategy Librarian at Calgary Economic Development is fact-checking data points and verifying statements. At times I have explained (repeatedly) why specific information can or cannot be used. Statements in the media or elsewhere are often misleading and taken out of context to suit specific purposes including marketing, messaging and promotion. Using critical judgement, objective analysis and interpretation of data, reviewing methodology and investigating sources are essential and routine activities when sourcing information. I have developed a categorized inventory of verified statements and data points for staff to use when creating content and marketing collateral. The inventory is updated on an ongoing basis. I am available on request to fact-check any content before publication, ensuring all statements are verified and sourced. I highly recommend all organizations develop such a resource.

True story: The Government of Alberta recently issued a news release with an incorrect statement and source for an important factual statement about the provincial film industry. I contacted the media representative twice to request a change to the statement and the source. Thankfully, the news release has now been revised. How do I know the statement source was incorrect??? My organization is the source…and I completed the analysis to develop the statement. Lesson learned: Consider the source.

This great How to Spot Fake News infographic from IFLA outlines the questions we should be asking when viewing media. Be critical!

Curation: Buzzword or What? | Lucidea #news #curation #info #librarians #librarianship #MLIS

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One of the most popular buzzwords in library-land at the moment is ‘curation’. It’s used to describe anything from old-fashioned collection development to human filtering activities on social media like Reddit, Twitter, Facebook and blogs. The word ‘curator’ gets used too liberally to describe the stuff people do on the web and, in my humble option, dilutes and pollutes the professional things that librarians do.

Librarians are so much more than assemblers of information, but let’s begin a discussion in this column about the difference between ‘curation’ and the activities performed by librarians. Is there really any way what someone does on Facebook is remotely like the work product of information professionals in special libraries? READ MORE: Curation: Buzzword or What? | Lucidea

The future of fake news: don’t believe everything you read, see or hear | The Guardian #tech #news #video #audio #fakenews #morphing

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A new breed of video and audio manipulation tools allow for the creation of realistic looking news footage, like the now infamous fake Obama speech. READ MORE: The future of fake news: don’t believe everything you read, see or hear | Technology | The Guardian

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales launches Wikitribune, a large-scale attempt to combat fake news » Nieman Lab #news #fakenews #librarianship #factcheck #crowdsourced #journalism #media

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Feeling more skeptical than hopeful about the launch of this new service…unless that is the crowdsourced fact checks are completed by only volunteer librarians!

The crowd-funded news platform aims to combat fake news by combining professional journalism with volunteer fact checking: “news by the people and for the people.” READ MORE: Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales launches Wikitribune, a large-scale attempt to combat fake news » Nieman Journalism Lab

We Need More Alternatives to Facebook | MIT Tech Review #socialmedia #news #business #intellectualfreedom #communication #community #privacy #society

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Chastened by the negative effects of social media, Mark Zuckerberg says he will tweak his service and upgrade society in the process. Should any company be that powerful? READ MORE: We Need More Alternatives to Facebook – MIT Technology Review

Librarians Provide the Tools for Readers to Rise Up | BOOKRIOT #libguide #subjectguide #LIS #libraries #advocacy #fakenews #libraries #librarians #activism

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Libraries…are acting as flash points of resistance, putting together special book displays, hosting timely exhibits, collaborating on art projects, and more. And then there are the libguides. READ MORE: Librarians Provide the Tools for Readers to Rise Up | BOOKRIOT

Libguides, aka research guides aka subject guides aka study guides aka topic guides aka pathfinders aka resource lists aka information portals, have a special place in my heart. Whenever I find a great one I always have one of those Hallelujah ah-ha moments. Then I bookmark!

Librarians have probably created libguides for every topic you can think of. The libguides mentioned in the above article are relevant to the current news cycle of nationalism vs populism and the shifting economic climate of globalization to protectionism. Librarians advocate for and uphold intellectual freedom, diversity and privacy. Libguides represent these values as they provide unbiased, valid sources of information on a specific topic and are a helpful tool in verifying information and combating fake news. 

 

Maine State Library study finds that Librarian is one of the most trusted professions | LRS #Librarians #fakenews #librarianship #research #ethics

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A recent survey by the Maine State Library shows that librarians are the second most trusted professionals out of the 22 professions studied. The purpose of this research was to determine the perceived trustworthiness of librarians compared to other professions and to assess perceptions of librarians across demographic groups. READ MORE: Maine State Library study finds that Librarian is one of the most trusted professions | Library Research Service

 

More research supporting that Librarians are the solution…and always have been the solution…to the fake news problem! Verify, verify, verify. ALA Code of Ethics “We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests. We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions. We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.” – infophile.ca

How to solve Facebook’s fake news problem: experts pitch their ideas | The Guardian #news #facts #authority #validation #HireALibrarian #duh

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The past few months there was quite the vacuum of factual, non-fake news to post to infophile. Thankfully, with the U.S. election finally over, some cool, timely and hopefully accurate stories are percolating up in my news feeds. Interesting times. How about just Hire a Librarian!!!

A cadre of technologists, academics and media experts are thinking up solutions, from hiring human editors, to crowdsourcing or creating algorithms

Source: How to solve Facebook’s fake news problem: experts pitch their ideas | Technology | The Guardian

Audible, long known only for #audiobooks, is branching out into #podcasts and news | @NiemanLab #audio #Audible #originalcontent @audible_com 

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The podcast/audio world has been waiting for Audible to make its big move into the space. It’s here, including original content from major publishers like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. READ MORE: Audible, long known only for audiobooks, is branching out into podcasts — and news | Nieman Journalism Lab