Is Online Research Always the Most Reliable?
There are many ethical dilemmas and concerns when it comes to misinformation and disinformation. This is especially apparent in the times we live in today. With social media on the rise and news sites now taking over the majority of these social media applications, misinformation is widely spread and easy to find. Many times when reading or viewing misinformation or disinformation you won’t even be able to tell that it is coming from an unreliable source. One concern the public faces today with misinformation is how our society perceives what is sought to be true and what is not. With an information overload at the tip of our fingers, users can view and consume a mass amount of information without hesitation. This leaves room for speculation and usually causes some to believe political, social, and even religious beliefs that aren’t factual.
Many times misinformation is promoted or spread online on purpose to persuade or influence mass groups of people to believe an idea. These ideas are often harsh towards certain individuals that seem like they are targeting vulnerable people intentionally. I believe there are three types of ethics with misinformation. These can be described as the type of content that is being displayed, the motivation behind the content that is being published, and how the content is spread or promoted on the internet. Misinformation and disinformation are concepts that are still very hard to understand and spot while browsing or even researching the web. If individuals would take into consideration the three types of ethics while researching or browsing the internet the effect of misinformation will decrease.
The Four Moves, also known as SIFT, presented by Hapgood are very good ways to sort the truth from fiction when looking at a source. SIFT stands for Stop, Investigate the Source, Find Better Coverage, and Trace the Original Context. The most important thing a person can do when they hit a page, post, or website is STOP and ask themselves whether they are familiar with it and recognize the source of the information. If they cannot identify that, then you are already hitting a major red flag. It is crucial that individuals “don’t read it or share media until you know what it is” (Caulfield, 2019). In order to understand or interpret what a media piece is stating and releasing, you must acknowledge the “expertise” and “agenda”. Knowing this will help you better understand the truth and significance behind the story.
“Investigating the Source” is essential. Within this move, you have already identified that you are familiar with the source you are using. In this stage, you will likely need to cite and understand who the author of this source is. When using a familiar source, it does not always mean the author who is posting on the website is credible. Diving deeper into the actual credibility of the source comes from the author and their accomplishments. Defining these aspects lets you know as a user if the source is worth your time.
Next, you want to move on to “Finding Better Coverage”. This can consist of understanding the author and being familiar with the source. However, to gain better confirmation you must research other claims on the topic you are researching. Before believing and sharing your ideas on social media, it is best to research the same topic and claims you have viewed. This way you can view multiple credible sources to confirm or deny the ideas you have just read. Having this extra reassurance is a key technique to knowing that something you are viewing is factually correct.
Lastly, you must “Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media back to the Original Context”. This is the last move of SIFT and is one of the most essential key defining factors of identifying truth and misinformation. While researching you may even find that your search will “Show your claims are outright wrong, or that sources are legitimately bad actors who are trying to deceive you” (Caulfield, 2021). Having this move will let the user reestablish clarity if their research topic is true or if they have been misinformed.
Overall, SIFT is a great technique for students and adults in the professional workforce. If these techniques are executed properly, they can make sorting through truth and misinformation seamless. A majority of what people read online has been stripped of its content and has missing pieces on purpose. Individuals need to realize that these moves are quick, equally useful, efficient, and give you the answers you need.
After watching the video, I learned a lot of new and impactful strategies and techniques that will be very useful when browsing the internet for credible sources. Distinguishing different types of inaccurate information significantly helps an individual better recognize them and spot them when they are present in a news feed. One type of inaccurate information is Satire or Parody. This is known as content that highlights ridiculousness. Satire can hold people accountable, attack people in power, or pass judgment on politicians (Brian Weeks, 2017). The main intention of satire and parody is to be funny and create a comical environment online, but not be deceiving.
This is a great example of Satire and Parody online in Empire News. As you will see when opening the link, there are many headlines that almost seem too good to be true. Many of these headlines are attacking or making fun of political figures, which is often a part of satirical content. For example, “Michelle Obama Files for Divorce After Shocking Revelation; Barack Obama Admits: “I’m Gay!”. These headlines are things that are so over the top and extreme that they couldn’t be true but are meant to give off a comical message.
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