Distilling Truth from a Sea of Disinformation

The internet can sometimes be a double-edged sword. Whilst the internet age has made research and access to information so much quicker and easier, this convenience comes with it a host of other problems.

Among the plethora of information that pops up in search results, how do you tell what’s true from fake news and disinformation? In his book Net Smart: How to Thrive Online, Howard Rheingold (2012) presents a chapter dedicated to online research and strategies to filter out disinformation from the truth you are seeking. Rheingold calls this skill “crap detection” (p. 77).

Apart from simply exercising pure common sense, Rheingold outlines other skills needed for effective “crap detection”, including “critical information consumption skill” (p. 79) and to dig deep beyond the surface of what we find online during the course of research (p. 78). Rheingold also introduced a term called “Infotention”, meaning “a mind-machine combination of brainpowered attention skills and computer-powered information filters” (p. 97).

Having the right frame of mind also contributes to more effective “crap detection”. According to Gilmor’s “Principals of Media Consumption” (2010, as cited in Rheingold, 2012), there are five “core principals for turning mere consumption into active learning”. The five principals are:

  1. “Be skeptical” – question everything!
  2. “Exercise Judgment” – summon your critical thinking skills when choosing what/who to believe and trust.
  3. “Open Your Mind” – be open to investigating legitimate sources of opposing views to you.
  4. “Keep Asking Questions” – keep an investigative mindset.
  5. “Learn Media Techniques” – be a user of social media to understand the culture and trappings of the different media.

The next time you read any piece of news or reports online, remember not to take everything simply at their face value. Dig a little deeper beyond the surface by practicing the five principles above to discern truth from disinformation.

References

Rheingold, H. (2012). Net smart: How to thrive online (pp. 77-109). The MIT Press.

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