By Olivia Marcano
A key aspect of media literacy is understanding media bias. Media bias is the impulse to spread and consume information that conforms to your way of thinking, political party, religious affiliation, or ethnic group. You have probably seen an event on social media or TV which the depiction, or the way they choose to show the event/people has been influenced in some way by the viewers or those broadcasting it. This causes you to develop a biased opinion on problems or events and makes you more vulnerable to consuming misinformation. It is also a promoting factor for misinformation to go viral. As people consume news and weather through social media or television, it’s proven that popularity is a deciding factor of people’s bias. According to the article “How Misinformation Spreads -- And what to do about it”, author Chris Meserole discloses, “As with Facebook and Youtube, Twitter now relies on a deep learning algorithm that has learned to prioritize content with greater prior engagement.” So, if you wonder why false news goes viral, you may want to take a close read of his full article. But to prevent succumbing to news influenced by bias, you may find it useful to read, “How to Detect Bias In News Media” from Fair.org, which makes useful points like paying attention to the source. According to the text, “Be aware of the political perspective of the source used in a story.” Media relies heavily on “official” government-based sources which FAIR.org has found to have a limited spectrum of experts or sources which is counterproductive in their mission of delivering accurate and inclusive information. Additionally, FAIR.org states, “Demand mass media expand their rolodexes; better yet, give them lists of progressive and public interest experts in the community.” FAIR recommends taking the initiative to call out and replace biased ideals by imposing personal points of view and act as a voice for your community and ideals. Ever wonder if your favorite sources are inclusive or credible beyond your scope? Refer to the Legit-O-Meter. This meter will give you a sense of understanding when looking for credible websites to learn from and quote. With these tips and tricks to go by while researching, this meter will help you spot a sketchy website on site. Good luck navigating the media!
1 Comment
Lynn Girven
2/28/2023 03:58:08 pm
You are on point - check out horizontal reading and allsides. com
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
February 2024
Categories
All
|