HPR3697: Mis-information, Dis-information, and Fake News. You are a product and target for all of it.

Brady and I discuss Mis-information, Dis-information, and Fake News. We discuss what it is, how it is used, and we are all a product and target for all of it. We discuss ways to avoid deception which leads to a philosophical discussion about truth, morals, and ethics. Brady takes a moment on the couch discussing how understanding the matrix for what it is can affect you on a personal level.

Links and Resources:

Definitely NOT real NEWS, but FUN to read:

• The Onion https://www.theonion.com/

• The Weekly World News https://weeklyworldnews.com/

• Mad Magazine https://www.madmagazine.com/

Fight Disinformation with Fact Checking Sites:

• Snopes
  (almost everything including politics, history, science, and technology)
  Snopes is one of the oldest fact-checking websites on the internet and it was started by David and Barbara Mikkelson in 1994. Apart from its huge repository of debunked stories, Snopes still tackles fake news and misinformation in a smart way. As fake information is getting more sophisticated in its language and tone, users are easily falling for it. So to counter the misinformation, Snopes offers detailed explanations from genuine sources (like WHO, CDC) and sets the facts straight.
  https://www.snopes.com/

• Politifact
  (all about fact-checking political claims)
  PolitiFact is one of the largest political fact-checking newsrooms in the US and for its impressive work in 2008, the website was awarded Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. It’s run by the prestigious Poynter Institute (founder of International Fact-Checking Network) and reporters from the independent Tampa Bay Times.
  https://www.politifact.com/

• FactCheck.org
  (political claims, rhetorics, deception, and lies)
  Primarily deals with political claims and rhetorics. However, the website also tries to bring accountability to public officials by exposing deception and their lies. It’s an attempt to bring more factual accuracy to the public discourse which is not just limited to politics, but also extends to TV ads, speeches, interviews, and news releases.
  https://www.factcheck.org/fake-news/

• ProPublica
  (deep dive for hidden truth)
  ProPublica is an independent investigative online newsroom. More than a fact-checking website, but a portal where you can dive deep and find the hidden truth. For its far-reaching work in the public interest, ProPublica has been awarded several Pulitzer Prizes for public service, explanatory reporting, national reporting, and investigative journalism. As for the coverage, it goes beyond politics and looks into healthcare, education, finances, criminal justice and more. The website is funded by the Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, and other few philanthropic institutes.
  https://www.propublica.org/

• OpenSecrets
  (politics)
  OpenSecrets finds the effects of money lobbying into electoral politics and fact-checks political speeches and claims. It tracks how a politician is being funded and who are the firms that are funneling money into politics. It was started by the Center for Responsive Politics (CSR) way back in 1983. And as a result of the long operation, OpenSecrets has now one of the largest public databases of donors and political beneficiaries.
  https://www.opensecrets.org/

• Washington Post Fact Checker
  (critical analysis to what politicians have said this week)
  Fact-checking column under diplomatic correspondent, Glenn Kessler. It does not fact-check every claim on politics and economy, instead the website offers critical analysis to what politicians have said this week. It tries to underline facts and context against a seemingly factful narrative.
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/

• Full Fact
  (Fact-checking website focused on the UK and Europe)
  A one-stop online portal where you can find information on a wide variety of topics. Full Fact is quick to debunk claims with well-resourced articles and by citing research papers by academics and professionals. So, no matter if it’s a post about technology, medicine or some supernatural power, Full Fact sets the facts straight in a timely manner. It’s a team of independent fact-checkers and campaigners who find a multitude of viral posts from social media and expose them to counter misleading people on the internet. Full Fact runs a “Viral Posts on Facebook” page where it lists out all the outrageous claims and debunks them with detailed explanation and authentic sources.
  https://fullfact.org/ and for most recent https://fullfact.org/latest/

• Alt News
  (fake claims and political misinformation in India)
  Alt News is also one of the few fact-checking websites in India which is certified by IFCN (International Fact-Checking Network). It’s run by Pravda Media Foundation and offers its fact-checking service in both English and Hindi. As for funding, Alt News primarily relies on user donations and other independent media trusts. The website is also in partnership with WhatsApp for busting fake news on its chat platform. Apart from that, Alt News regularly debunks claims made on social media platforms covering science, education, and society at large.
  https://www.altnews.in/

• BOOM FactCheck
  (fact-checking website in India)
  This is a fact-checking website in India that exposes fake news on digital platformsIt. BOOM is a signatory of the IFCN Code of Principles and sticks to a high standard of fact-checking methodology. The website is run by Data journalist, Govindraj Ethiraj who earlier worked at Bloomberg. And like other fact-checking websites, Boom also relies on ads and user donations. Apart from this, Boom has a tie-up with WhatsApp to fight the war of misinformation. Boom offers its service in three languages i.e. English, Hindi, and Bengali. Further, it covers the current news cycle, political rhetorics, viral claims made on social media, urban legends, myths, and rumors.
  https://www.boomlive.in/

• SM Hoax Slayer
  (fake information on social media platforms)
  SM Hoax Slayer is quick to debunk the claim and update the users through its social media channels. According to the founder, the project started as a place to puncture harmless lies, pranks, and rumors, but soon it developed into a full-fledged fact-checking website. Many mainstream newspapers and media houses including Aaj Tak and Navbharat Times cite SM Hoax Slayer as a reliable source for busting fake news. Coming to funding, SM Hoax Slayer is mostly run by volunteers and funded by user donations and ads.
  https://smhoaxslayer.com/

• Reuters Fact Check
  (international news fact checking)
  https://www.reuters.com/fact-check
  

Picks of the Week:

• Brady's Picks

  • Tobii Pro: Optimizing User Experience and Advertising Research with Eye Tracking
    https://youtu.be/ConsSlIf6n4

  • Hotjar: Website Heatmaps & Behavior Analytics Tools
    https://www.hotjar.com/

• Robert's Pick:

  • House of the Dragon: The Game of Thrones prequel
    https://www.hbo.com/house-of-the-dragon

Cool Shit:

• Realtime Global Cyber Attack Map
  https://threatmap.checkpoint.com/

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