37 Articles about Spotting Fake News

6 Tips for Identifying Fake News, Sabrina Stierwalt, Quick & Dirty Tips

6 tips to help you detect fake science news, Marc Zimmer, The Conversation

As Fake News Spreads Lies, More Readers Shrug at the Truth, Sabrina Tavernise, New York Times

Beware partisan ‘pink slime’ sites that pose as local news, Margaret Sullivan 

The Breaking News Consumer's Handbook, WNYC Studios

‘Cheap fakes’: Viral videos keep clipping Biden’s words out of context, Bill McCarthy, Politifact

The Conspiracy Theory Handbook, Stephan Lewandowsky John Cook

Critics of Dan Rather’s tips about fake news brought up his past. But the points are still solid, Alex Horton, Washington Post

The Fact Checker’s guide to manipulated video, Washington Post

Fake news and the ugly rise of sponsored content, John Pelle, PR Daliy

False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical “News” Sources, Melissa Zimdars  

A Finder's Guide To Facts Steve Inskeep, NPR 

How I Detect Fake News, Tim O'Reilly, O’Reilly Media

How Science Fuels a Culture of Misinformation, Joelle Renstrom, Open Mind  

How to detect if content is written by AI? — ChatGPT Detector, Brandon Carter, Medium  

How to fight lies, tricks, and chaos online, Adi Robertson, The Verge 

How to Outsmart Election Disinformation, Karim Doumar & Cynthia Gordy Giwa ProPublica

How to spot a fake video, Elyse Samuels, Sarah Cahlan, Emily Sabens, Washington Post

How to Spot Fake News, Eugene Kiely and Lori Robertson, FactCheck.org

How to Spot Visualization Lies, Nathan Yau, Flowing Data  

How to Stay Informed Without Getting Paralyzed by Bad News, Jacqueline Lekachman, Wired

How to avoid falling for misinformation and conspiracy theories, Heather Kelly, Washington Post

Hundreds of ‘Pink Slime’ News Outlets are  distributing algorithmic stories and conservative talking points, Priyanjana Bengani, Columbia Journalism Review

Infographics Lie. Here's How To Spot The B.S., Randy Olson, Fast Company

In disasters, people are abandoning official info for social media. Here's how to know what to trust, Stan Karanasios, Peter Hayes, The Conversatio 

Media Manipulation and Disinformation Online, Alice Marwick, Rebecca Lewis 

A philosopher explains America’s “post-truth” problem, Sean Illing, Vox

Photographs cause false memories for the news, Deryn Strange, Maryanne Garry, Daniel M Bernstein, & D. Stephen Lindsay, Semantic Scholar

Reclaim the Facts: Campaigning for information literacy

Searching for Alternative Facts: Analyzing Scriptural Inference in Conservative News Practices, Francesca Triopodi, Data Society

Simple tips to help you spot online fraud, Washington Post

Snopes' Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors, Kim LaCapria, Snopes

Ten Questions for Fake News Detection, Checkology.org  

To navigate the dangers of the web, you need critical thinking – but also critical ignoring - Beth Daley 

Understand the landscape of information disorder, First Draft    

Want to resist the post-truth age? Learn to analyze photos like an expert would, Nicole Dahmen & Don Heider, Quartz  

What’s the Harm? – List of reliable sources about misleading information 

More about fake news

13 Webinars This Week about AI, Journalism, & More

Mon, July 22 - Jason Rezaian on freedom 10 years since imprisonment and global press freedom

What: Jason Rezaian, the former Tehran bureau chief for The Washington Post, who was unjustly imprisoned in 2014 in Iran on charges of espionage for 544 days, joins The Washington Post’s Frances Stead Sellers to reflect on his freedom 10 years since his imprisonment, his work to raise awareness about journalists being held captive and the state of global press freedom.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Washington Post

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Tue, July 23 - Growth-Driven Website Design for Nonprofits

What: Learn how to create an impactful online presence that drives growth and advances your nonprofit cause.

Who: Jason Spangler, Tapp Network,  Director of Sales; Jon Hill Tapp Network, Web Project Manager

When: 10am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: TechSoup

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Tue, July 23 - FakeSpotting: Verifying visuals in the age of generative AI

What: Learn about the strategies to identify and verify AI-generated content as well as the tech tools you will want to consider.   

Who: Patrick Dell, Senior Visuals Editor for The Globe and Mail

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free to members or $25 for nonmembers

Sponsor: Online News Association

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Wed, July 24 - AI Essentials for Nonprofits: Understanding Bias

What: This session is designed for nonprofit professionals to demystify AI, with a particular focus on understanding biases in AI and a framework for assessing your organization's readiness to embrace AI technologies. Learning outcomes include understanding what the collective challenge with AI is and understanding what can be done when we intend to center the community at the core of the design.

Who: Meena Das of Namaste Data

When: 12 noon

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The NonProfit Learning Lab

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Wed, July 24 - AI Audio Innovations: Transforming Content Creation and Engagement

What: Tailored for newsrooms in radio and podcasting, participants will delve into practical demonstrations, discussions on real-world applications, and critically examine the ethical implications of AI in the industry.

Who: Davar Ardalan, audio industry veteran and Founder of TulipAI

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free to members or $25 for nonmembers

Sponsor: Online News Association

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Thu, July 25 - The Digital Marketing Blueprint Series: Creating Engaging Social Media Content 

What: This virtual workshop is designed to equip small business owners with the knowledge and practical insights necessary to develop an effective social media content strategy that drives engagement and business growth.    

Who: SBDC Business Consultant Elizabeth Fegert; Ellen Mattis of Hello Social Co.  

When: 12 noon, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Penn State Small Business Development Center

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Thu, July 25 - Free legal trainings for journalists covering 2024 political conventions 

What: Legal training for journalists covering the 2024 Democratic National Convention events taking place in Chicago. Attorneys will discuss journalists’ newsgathering rights, safely reporting on protests, ways to avoid arrest and what to do if arrested, local bail procedures, potential security restrictions, and more. Journalists will come away with practical tips and resources to support their work around the 2024 elections.

Who: Jen Nelson Senior Staff Attorney, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; Mickey Osterreicher General Counsel·National Press Photographers Association

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsors: Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, National Press Photographers Association

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Thu, July 25 - Retaining and engaging audiences post-election

What: Experts will share a “lightning round” of ideas on how to keep everyone engaged after votes are counted and winners are announced.

Who: Katie Vogel is the Politics and Washington, D.C., editor for the Associated Press; Shay Totten is API’s newsroom success manager; Gabrielle Jones is the Vice President of Content at Louisville Public Media.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: American Press Institute, Associated Press

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Thu, July 25 - Journalism in Crisis: How Did We Get Here and What Comes Next?

What: Journalism is facing a series of intersecting crises. Funding models have not kept pace with technological change, leading to large-scale layoffs and the shuttering of outlets across the country. Misinformation and disinformation are rampant. And increasingly sophisticated generative A.I. stands to exacerbate both these problems and undermine the entire enterprise. Join us for a look at how we got to this point and where we go from here.

Who: Cassandra Willyard Freelance Science Journalist and NASW President; Benjamin Toff Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota; Courtney Radsch Center for Journalism and Liberty at the Open Markets Institute; Patrick Dell Senior Visuals Editor at The Globe and Mail.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: National Association of Science Writers

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Thu, July 25 - The State of Gen Z and the Future of Advertising

What: Actionable insights across all screens, to help marketers gain new insights into this key consumer cohort and optimize ways to engage and convert them across social, digital, TV, and streaming.  

Who: Danan Ren, SVP, Client Insights and GTM Enablement, Comscore; Bo Liu, Principal Analyst, Client Insights, Comscore; Caleb White, Product Marketing Principal, Comscore.

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The Association of National Advertisers

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Thu, July 25 - Your New Instructional Design Sidekick Training Network

What: In this workshop you will leave equipped with the skills to leverage AI as your instructional design partner. Together we will explore AI's capabilities and limitations, ensuring you can use different AI tools effectively.

Who: Shannon Tipton, Learning Rebels

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Training Magazine

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Thu, July 25 - Nellie Bly: The Investigative Journalist Who Reformed America

What: Explore the fascinating life and legacy of Elizabeth Cochran (1864-1922) — aka Nellie Bly — a tireless and dedicated undercover reporter, wartime journalist, suffragist, and inventor who was a driving force of much-needed change and reformation in America during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Who: Dave Gardner is a licensed New York City tour guide and is also a member of GANYC (Guides Association of New York City).

When: 7 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $12

Sponsor: The New York Adventure Club

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Thu, July 25 - Artificial Intelligence for Journalists with AI expert and digital guru Sree Sreenivasan (this is a rescheduled event from July 11)

Who: Sree Sreenivasan has been teaching generative AI workshops worldwide for the past year. He was a full-time journalism professor at Columbia University for 20+ years and served as the chief digital officer at Columbia. He is the 2024 president of the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA), which he co-founded in 1994.

When: 7 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Society of Professional Journalists

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Fri, July 26 - Design Workshop: How to create compelling visuals when it’s not usually your job

What: Best practices for creating visuals, regardless of your hands-on design experience. We’ll work through specific exercises during the program, so plan to walk away inspired and with at least one design you can use right away.  

Who: Beth Francesco, the National Press Club Journalism Institute’s executive director

When: 12 noon, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $25

Sponsor: The National Press Club’s Journalism Institute  

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The Limits of Science

There is this strain, especially among popular communicators of science, that if you don’t look at the world through a scientific lens, then what’s the point; you’re just fooling yourself; you’re living in a world of delusions.  

But my pushback to that is, I’m a professional scientist; the vast majority of decisions that I make in my everyday life are not based on the scientific method. When I’m trying to pick what to have for dinner tonight, or who to fall in love with, I’m not using the scientific method, I’m just following my gut —literally when it comes to dinner. I’m just using other tools than the scientific method to arrive at conclusions and decisions.

There are many, many questions that science does not have a solid answer on, and may not ever have a solid answer on. And it’s perfectly legitimate for people to turn to other modes of inquiry and investigation into this beautiful, messy world that we live in, to seek answers and comfort from that.

Astrophysicist Paul M. Sutter quoted in Undark

23 Recent Articles about Teaching & AI

Survey: How Are Profs, Staff Using AI? – Inside Higher Ed 

What teachers call AI cheating, leaders in the workforce might call progress – Hechinger Report

Teachers Use AI to Grade Student Work. It’s Harsher Than They Are. Teachers Use AI to Grade Student Work. It’s Harsher Than They Are. – Wall Street Journal

AI can't replace teaching but it can make it better – Wired

AI Copilots Are Changing How Coding Is Taught – IEEE 

What's next with AI in higher education? – Phys.org

Morehouse College is Using AI assistants – Chronicle of Higher Ed

Can I Use A.I. to Grade My Students’ Papers? – New York Times

Academic Success Tip: Infusing AI into Curricular Offerings – Inside Higher Ed 

Google and MIT launch a free generative AI course for teachers – Zdnet  

This AI Tool Cut One Teacher's Grading Time in Half. How It Works – Ed Week  

California teachers are using AI to grade papers. Who’s grading the AI? – Cal Matters

Making Progress Against ChatGPT - Inside Higher Ed

A quarter of U.S. teachers say AI tools do more harm than good in K-12 education – Pew Research

How two professors harnessed generative AI to teach students to be better writers – Fast Company

AI, online courses divide students, faculty, administrators – Inside Higher Ed

Professors Ask: Are We Just Grading Robots? Some are riding the AI wave. Others feel like they’re drowning. –Chronicle of Higher Ed

How AI Is Changing The Teaching Profession Forever – Forbes

How a computer science professor is using AI in her classroom – UAB  

Are You Ready To Use AI In Your Teaching? – Forbes

Survey: How Are Profs, Staff Using AI? – Inside Higher Ed 

Why AI Won’t Replace Teachers As Motivators – Forbes

How to Teach Kids to Spot AI Manipulation – Ed Week

The Line

“The line separating good and evil passes, not through states, nor between classes nor between political parties either, but right through every human heart." -Alexandr Solzhenitsyn 

Solzhenitsyn endured many years in a Russian Gulag (labor camp) and could write that statement with conviction. Many men did not survive the terrible weather and the harsh treatment in the Gulag.

Solzhenitsyn was dying while interned — until a fellow prisoner showed him unexpected kindness, changing his attitude and refreshing his spirit. He survived to become one of Russia's most well-read and revered writers

Stephen Goforth

Time Alone

Find a regular time and place to be alone. People in transition are often still involved in activities and relationships that continue to bombard them with cues irrelevant to their emerging needs. Because a person is likely to feel lonely in such a situation, the temptation is to seek more and better contact with others; but the real need is for a genuine sort of aloneness in which inner signals can make themselves heard. Doing housework after the kids leave for school or paperwork with the office door shut are not being alone in the sense I am talking about.

The old passage rituals provide the person with this experience of deep aloneness, often in a wilderness setting. (Interestingly, the Hebrew word for the “wilderness” in which Jesus, Moses, and Buddha spent time during critical periods of their lives is the same word that means ‘sanctuary.” This unmappable “nowhere” was also, as several of these heroes were explicitly told, holy ground.) Traditionally, time spent in such “sanctuaries” was a continuous period; but you many have to plan your time to accommodate your own life situation. One person manages that getting up every morning forty-five minutes ahead of the rest of the family and sitting quietly in the living room with a cup of coffee. Another jogs regularly after work for a half an hour. Another plays ocean sounds and temple bells on his car stereo whenever he drives along. Still another has cleaned out a little storage room off the upstairs hall and sits quietly alone in there for an hour after supper.

William Bridges, Transitions

21 Recent Articles about AI & Legal Issues

YouTube will use AI to snip copyrighted music and not silence your whole video – Tech Radar

Three senators introduce bill to protect artists and journalists from unauthorized AI use – Engadget

Chevron’s downfall highlights need for clear artificial intelligence laws - FedScoop 

The AI Shakeup: New Tech Innovations and the Future of Corporate Law – JD Supra

Decoding US Copyright Law and Fair Use for Generative AI Legal Cases – Medium

Two 80-something journalists tried ChatGPT. Then, they sued to protect the ‘written word’ – Associated Press  

Colorado’s Landmark AI Act: What Companies Need To Know – Skadden

Record labels sue two AI startups for copyright infringement – Axios

Deepfakes and the First Amendment: Are Deepfakes Illegal? – Freedom Forum

What Do You Do When A.I. Takes Your Voice? – New York Times

AI Legal Tools Could Be Too Pricey For Those Most In Need – Law360

Drake threatened with lawsuit over diss track featuring AI Tupac – The Verge

AI is creating fake legal cases and making its way into real courtrooms, with disastrous results – The Conversation

Generative AI For Legal Professionals: What To Know And What To Do Right Now – Above the Law 

Gen AI Shows Promise — And Peril — For Pro Se Litigants - Law360 

AI hustlers stole women’s faces to put in ads. The law can’t help them. – The Washington Post

 Generative AI Is Challenging a 234-Year-Old Law – The Atlantic

George Carlin’s estate settles lawsuit over AI comedy special – Washington Post

How GenAI can enhance your legal work without compromising ethics – Reuters Legal

Calif.'s Top Judge Launches Task Force To Probe AI Uses - Law360

How Dow Jones is building a framework to tackle AI copyright challenges – Journalism.co

The Law of Priorities

The most remarkable aspect about John Wooden--and the most telling about his ability to focus on his priorities--is that he never scouted opposing teams. Instead, he focused on getting his players to reach their potential. And he addressed those things through practice and personal interaction with the players. It was never his goal to win championships or even to be the other team. His desire was to get each person to play to his potential and to put the best possible team on the floor. And, of course, Wooden’s results were incredible. In more than 40 years of coaching, he had only one losing season--his first. And he led his UCLA teams to four undefeated seasons and a record 10 in NCAA championships. No other college team is ever come close.

John Maxwell, The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership

7 Webinars this Week about AI, Journalism, Writing & More

Tue, July 16 - Introduction to Reporting on AI

What: This course is designed for reporters interested in getting started but with minimal or no knowledge of artificial intelligence. We will begin with the basics, covering the history of AI, how the technology works, and key technical concepts such as “neural networks” and “deep learning.” We will also dissect what makes a good AI accountability story, from quick turnaround stories to more ambitious investigations, and dig deeper into a few examples. At the end of the course, those who are interested in learning more are encouraged to register for the AI reporting intensive.   

Who: An Amsterdam-based AI and technology reporter Gabriel Geiger

When: 7 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Pulitzer Center

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Tue, July 16 - Trauma-Informed Storytelling in Action

What: This session will explore trauma-informed storytelling, a safe and healthy process for your beneficiaries, audiences, and even storytellers. You’ll be equipped with actionable insights and tools to tell trauma-informed and ethical stories that have a huge impact. Participants can expect to gain an understanding of why trauma-informed storytelling matters, learn about the three kinds of people impacted by a story, and leave with resources, tools and actionable steps to integrate trauma-informed practices into your role.

Who: Maria Bryan, Kindsight

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The Nonprofit Learning Lab

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Tue, July 16 - 5 Ways to Improve Your Website For Better Marketing And Sales

What: This webinar is tailored to business owners at all stages and will delve into strategies to elevate and automate your online presence. He will offer practical tips on an easy-to-understand level, covering topics such as his favorite website platform and theme, as well as how to harness the power of video marketing, optimize user experience, and implement effective sales funnels. Whether you’re just starting out or seeking to refine your digital strategy, this webinar offers practical insights to enhance your website and drive business growth.

Who: Jeff Long, founder of True Focus Media  

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Temple University Small Business Development Center

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Tue, July 16 - How to amp up your reporting using LexisNexis tools

What: You’ll learn how award-winning journalists conduct deep-dive backgrounding on people and subjects, how they get names and numbers from LexisNexis’ list of 800 million profiles, and how they use paywalled content and trade journal expertise to generate story ideas and fresh angles. You don’t have to be a LexisNexis subscriber to attend or benefit from this webinar. Our expert panelist will share his screen and walk you through this trove of source material. If you are a LexisNexis subscriber, you can follow along on your own computer.

Who: Barbara Mantel is AHCJ’s health beat leader for freelancing. Brad Hamilton runs an award-winning digital newsroom, The Hatch Institute.

When: 1:30 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Association of Health Care Journalists

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Wed, July 17- How to use AI to help with grant writing

What: A live demo and tips on using generative AI tools to brainstorm and refine grant applications. Participants will learn how AI can facilitate the grant writing process, with a focus on practical applications and examples, particularly from small local newsrooms that have successfully used AI to help with their grant applications.

Who: ICFJ Knight Fellow and Newsroom Robots Podcast Host Nikita Roy.

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Online News Association

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Wed, July 17- Dashboards: Making Your Data Work for You  

What: Learn how to make your data – from community impact to financial information – more digestible and useful for making decisions. In this webinar, we’ll discuss the purpose and use of dashboard reports, learn the components of useful dashboard reports, and share some examples.  

Who: Catherine Menick

When: 11 am, Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Propel Nonprofits

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Thu, July 18 - Harnessing AI & Machine Learning in Customer Data Platforms for Dynamic Campaign Activation

What: Explore CDP data integration empowered by AI and ML technologies. Through real-world examples, we'll explore how AI and ML enhance the functionality of CDPs, enabling marketers to extract actionable insights, personalize campaigns, and optimize customer experiences.

Who: Frances Davis, Vice President, Integrated AI Marketing & Analytics, Excelligence Learning Corporation Stephen Easter, Director, Analytics Services, Anteriad

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Association of National Advertisers

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AI Definitions: Digital Twins

Digital Twins – Digital twin technology means replicating something physical in a virtual environment. The twin might be a copy of our physiologies, personalities or the objects around us, such as a video avatar of a person or a statistical model of a complex phenomenon (like earth or weather). The models update automatically as new data becomes available and excels best at statistics-heavy applications. For instance, by analyzing large quantities of health data, it can provide more personalized treatments for a patient.

More AI definitions here.