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Post-Holiday: Evaluating “Fake News”

1/3/2017

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Our goal today is to examine what happens when fake news spreads and to identify specific actions we can take to verify news stories, photographs and other sources of online information.

Fake news is no longer a matter of the occasional hoax. There is growing evidence that fake news has the
power to shape public opinion and even sway elections. As more of us get our news online, it is increasingly vital that we know how to verify sources and spot fake news or images, even though they often appear indistinguishable from a reliable source.

Step 1. Quick write

In your journal, consider the following question in writing.

  • What are potential consequences when fake news goes viral? Do you think you could spot fake news or would you be fooled? Why or why not?

Once you are done, compare your answers with 1-2 partner(s) and then we will briefly share around the table.

Step 2. Fukushima Daisies

In March 2011, an earthquake of the coast of Japan produced a tsunami wave that in turn caused a series of nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. The following image was posted on Imgur, a photo sharing website, in July 2015.

Picture
Does this image provide strong evidence of conditions near the Fukushima plant? Together, we will identify questions we might ask ourselves to decide.

Step 3. What can we do?
Read the following three sources that provide some background about fake news, including why it is important, how it is produced and circulates, and what we can do as individuals to avoid its influence:
  • Matthew Green,  “The Honest Truth about Fake News … and How Not to Fall for It” from KQED’s The Lowdown (6 December 2016).
  • Amrita Khalid, “The 2016 guide to political fact-checking on the internet,” from The Daily Dot (21 September 2016)
  • Robert Hilliker, email to the Hotchkiss School community (8 December 2016).

Questions to consider as you read and reflect on the articles above:
  • Which of the concerns raised in the article by Michael Green most stood out to you? Why?
  • Identify methods presented by Amrita Khalid and Mr. Hilliker that seem like that would be especially promising for us as individual news consumers avoid being “duped” by fake news.
  • What steps should companies like Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat take to combat fake news? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of taking action?

Homework: 
For our next assignment, we will turn back to where we left off in the Civil War:
  • HH250-01: #404
  • HH250-09: #404
  • HH250-10: #403
  • HH250-15: #404
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  • Courses
    • Archived Courses >
      • Chinese History >
        • Ancient/Early Modern: Living China's History >
          • Living China's History (fall 2017) >
            • Course Information
            • Course Project
            • In-Class
            • Assignments
          • Living China's History (fall 2018) >
            • In-Class >
              • The Death of Woman Wang
            • Assignments
        • Modern: China's Fall and Rise >
          • China's Rise and Fall (spring 2019) >
            • Course Info
            • In Class
            • Assignments + Units
          • China's Fall and Rise (spring 2018) >
            • Course Information
            • In-Class
            • Assignments
        • Contemporary: Thinking about a Changing China >
          • Thinking about a Changing China (spring 2017) >
            • Course Information
            • In Class
            • Assignments
      • Global Thinking (grade 9 seminar) >
        • HS150 Course Information
        • HS150 In-Class
        • HS150 Assignments
      • Japanese History >
        • Japan's Empire and its Legacies (fall 2016) >
          • Course Information
          • Daily Review
          • Schedule >
            • JE Unit 1
            • JE Unit 2
            • JE Unit 3
            • JE Unit 4
            • JE Unit 5
            • JE Unit 6
          • Research >
            • Issues of History
            • Research Schedule >
              • Checkpoint #2: Annotated Bibliography
              • Checkpoint #3: Outline
              • Checkpoint #4: Supplemental Pages
      • U.S. History >
        • Humanities History (2017-18) >
          • Course Information
          • In-Class
          • Assignments
        • Humanities History (2016-17) >
          • Course Information
          • In Class
          • Assignments >
            • U1: The American Revolution & the Constitution
            • U2: Defining the Nation
            • U3: 19th Century Social & Cultural Transformations >
              • Cemetery Project
            • U4: A House Divided
            • U5: Industry & Empire
            • U6: Progressive Promise & Disillusion
            • U7: Global Conflicts
            • U8: Civil Rights & Human Rights
      • More Course Descriptions
  • Skills
    • Reading >
      • Active Reading
      • Advanced Reading Strategies (Upper Mids and Seniors)
      • Outlining for Reading
      • Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
      • Analyzing Primary Sources with SOAPSTone
      • Analyzing Visual Primary Sources
      • Selecting & Evaluating Secondary Sources
    • Thinking >
      • What is History?
      • Historical Thinking Chart (PDF)
      • Breaking Down History with the SPICE Factors
    • Discussing >
      • Engaging in Class Discussion
      • Evaluating Discussion
    • Researching >
      • Identifying Research Topics & Questions
      • Note Cards
    • Writing >
      • Zero Draft
      • Thesis Statements
      • Forming Counterarguments
      • Formatting Chicago-Style Papers
      • Ford Library Guide to Chicago-style Citations (PDF)
    • Tech Tips
  • Reference
    • Chinese History Tools
    • Further Reading in Asian Studies >
      • Books
      • News
      • Podcasts
    • Current Events around the World
  • About
    • About
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