LibTalk 2017

Infographics: How to Spot Fake News

IFLA has made this infographic with eight simple steps (based on FactCheck.org’s 2016 article How to Spot Fake News)  to discover the verifiability of a given news-piece in front of you.

Five Laws of Media and Information Literacy

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) have launched their Five Laws of Media and Information Literacy. Their strategy aims to bring together the fields of information literacy and media literacy into a combined set of knowledge, skills and attitudes required for living and working in the 21st century.
Media and Information Literacy recognizes the primary role of information and media in our everyday lives. It lies at the core of freedom of expression and information – since it empowers citizens to understand the functions of media and other information providers, to critically evaluate their content, and to make informed decisions as users and producer of information and media content.

Media literacy in schools needed vs social media abuse

MANILA, Philippines – Media literacy is the long-term solution to fight the worsening state of disinformation and abuse on social media.

This was emphasized during the Senate education committee hearing on Tuesday, October 18, on the responsible use of social media in schools.

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and Professor Clarissa David pushed for media literacy in schools to encourage students to be critical when using the new medium. It is, after all, unchartered territory.

 "Our social norms and values need to catch up with technology," she said, focusing on five ideas for media literacy: social etiquette in interaction; the moral responsibility not to abuse its anonymity; to foster critical thinking; strengthen the paradigms of constructive debate; and put in place respect for plurality of ideas.

Click HERE to read the full article at Rappler.

Unreliable Websites : Media and Information Literacy Campaign

As trained info professional, this is basic knowledge in our Info literacy campaign. Complication arises when our political leaning (whether pro or anti) colored our better judgment and instead we are unwitting agent of disinformation for sharing info from unverified sources. Interesting times indeed for info professionals.

Click HERE to read the full article from Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.

As per the article, a websites could be unreliable based on the following criteria:

No Identification. The “About Us,” “Contact Us” page of websites contains information about the site’s editorial team and staff, its address, telephone number, email address, its history, and other important information. A news website should be accountable for what is posted on its page, and it starts with identifying the people behind it, as well as how they can be contacted so they can be asked to explain errors posted in their sites, among others.

News created from aggregated content that has not been verified. Content aggregators and curators scour the net for interesting content and share it with the Internet and social media community. Websites which aggregate and curate content nowadays do not only share content; they also create their own reports from other news sources. Most curators do not verify information prior to quoting a news article, hence the possibility that they’re spreading falsehood. Another practice is to pull out a factual report from mainstream news sources and to “spin it”—giving it an entirely new meaning.

Article submission news sites. Article submission news websites aggregate content from people. Anyone is welcome to send articles, videos or photos to be posted on the website regardless of its being biased, and whether it’s a public relations piece or downright propaganda.  

News trending sites. Generally, these sites get their content from viral and trending posts in the internet.

ebooks : Media and Information Literacy for Sustainable Development Goals

Click HERE to download the pdf copy of the ebook.

Info from NORDICOM website about this new publication:

The MILID Yearbook 2015 provides a case for media and information literacy (MIL) as a tool for open and inclusive sustainable development. It draws on research findings, theories and practices of MIL, and developments focusing on the theme identified for the 2015 MILID Yearbook: Media and Information Literacy for the Sustainable Development Goals.

This third MILID Yearbook is a joint initiative of the UNESCO-UNAOC University Cooperation Programme on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) published by Nordicom’s International Clearinghouse on Children, Youth and Media.

Register Now! UNESCO’s Online Media and Information Literacy Course for Youth

Register Now! UNESCO’s Online Media and Information Literacy Course for Youth | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNESCO, in partnership with Athabasca University and in cooperation with the UNESCO-UNAOC University Network on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue, opens a third call for registration for online course on media and information literacy (MIL).

This entry-level online course will provide youth with basic media and information competencies to become critical citizens and agents of change. The course is designed to enable youth to:

Understand why media and other information providers are important to development and democratic societies;

Recognise a need for information and to locate, access, organise and carefully evaluate information and the content of media and other information providers;

Use and share information based on moral principles or accepted standards of social behaviour - inlight of opportunities and potential risks;

Interact with media and other information providers to freely express themselves, share their culture and learn about other cultures, promote gender equality, and participate in democratic and development activities.

The course is based on the MIL Curriculum and the Freedom of Expression (FOE) Toolkit published by UNESCO. A central theme throughout this 10-week course is how media and information literacy can enable youth to be actively involved in intercultural dialogue, advocating for equality between women/girls and men/boys, and freedom of expression. 

The course is offered through Athabasca University’s online e-Lab, using the learning management system, Moodle. Most sessions will be self-directed, with ongoing interaction with the course presenters in the online space. Athabasca is a Canadian university that holds a UNESCO Chair on open education resources. Athabasca University is an associate member of the UNESCO-UNAOC University Network on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue.

Applicants should be youth (females and males between the ages 15-25). Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate from Athabasca University.

In order to successfully complete this course participants will need regular access to a computer and Internet access to download documents, listen to podcasts and view online videos.

To apply, please click here. Application must be completed by 20 April 2015. There are no associated fees to participants who wish to do this course.