Author Archives: philippe.morlhon@mouvement-up.fr

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY 1 ‘Let’s check the reliability of a news website’

Activités pratiques Fiches No Comments

ACTIVITY INTRODUCTION

 

The number of websites on the internet has exploded, so it is not always easy to tell which sites contain sourced, verified real news that is in the public interest and which ones spread sensationalist fake news. To make matters worse, these fake news sites are often designed by professional web developers and look more and more like real news sites in terms of things like graphics and functionality.

 

Nevertheless, you can still remain vigilant and verify a website’s reliability, and we are going to show you how – step by step!

 

 

TIPS

 

Step 1: Go to the ‘Legal notices’ or ‘About’ section: This usually will tell you what kind of website you are looking at and give you essential information such as its nature, its ownership, the legal entity it belongs to, its annual turnover, and when it was created. Websites where these sections are more visible, more easily accessible, and contain more specific information are more likely to be considered reliable.

 

 

Note: Remember that on a commercial website, legal notices are required. If there are no legal notices, do not buy from it!

 

 

Step 2: Check the identity and reliability of the site’s writing staff: Once you have looked at the ‘Legal notices’ and ‘About’ sections, it should be easy to find out who the site’s author or authors are. This is what the ‘Our Team’ and/or ‘Contact Us’ sections are for. If you cannot find these sections and this step seems difficult, then it is a bad sign: the authors of a reliable website have no reason to hide their identities! If you do find out who the contributors are and want to verify their identities, you can search for them to make sure they actually have the legitimacy to report on or analyse a topic (journalists, experts, scientists, etc.).

 

 

Step 3: Trace the information back to its source: Next, ask yourself whether the site mentions its sources. Can you see where the news published on the site originally came from? Outlets that cite recognisable sources are more likely to contain robust, viable information.

 

 

Step 4: Look at how the information is presented: This step requires you to pay a bit more attention to the content, remain objective, and think critically by asking yourself the following questions: Is the information presented in a balanced way? Do the headlines reflect the articles’ contents? Does the website present factual information or opinion? Does the site use a generally measured tone? Is it open to disagreement and multiple viewpoints?

 

 

Step 5: Keep a close eye on grammar and spelling: This step is getting more difficult because it is getting harder to tell the difference between a real news website and one created in a fake news factory, but this tip may still help you in some cases: if the site’s writing style is subpar and the articles are riddled with spelling mistakes, it is often an indication that poor-quality information. On the internet, style and substance are connected!

 

 

Step 6: Can you leave a comment on the website? Most professional news sites allow you to leave comments to give your opinion on an article’s content. If you cannot find a way to leave a comment, it means the site’s authors are not really open to criticism, debate, and disagreement – that is not a good sign! If what you are spreading is fake news or conspiracy theories, then you do not want to be debunked!

 

 

Step 7: Look for the https protocol: This is something everyone can do to protect themselves from internet fraud: make sure you see HTTPS, it allows visitors to verify the identity of the website they are viewing thanks to an authentication certificate supplied by a reliable and recognised authority. It is very easy to spot at the beginning of the search bar. If you do not see https, you are probably better off not going to the site!

 

 

Step 8: Use WHOIS: Finally, if you want something that does the job quickly, you can try who.is. On the website’s splash page, just copy and paste the URL of the website you are investigating and you will have all sorts of useful information on it within seconds.

 

 

IT’S YOUR TURN!

 

Website reliability assessment table:

To make it easy to use these tips when you are using the internet, here is a table to help you assess a website’s reliability. The higher its score, the higher its quality and reliability!

Website name:

___________________________________________________________

Website address:

______________________________________________________

 

 

0/20

It is easy to find this information on the site:

– Creators

– Creation date

– Overview of the team and project

– Financial and legal information

+3

The site’s contributors have the legitimacy to cover the topic: Are they journalists or recognised specialists?

+3

The authors cite multiple sources that I can access and verify easily.

+3

It is easy for me to leave comments to give my opinion on an article.

+2

There are no spelling errors on the site.

+2

The authors’ writing is nuanced, differing points of view are presented.

+2

I can find information about the site on WHOIS.

+3

The links do not work.

– 2

I am very quickly asked to join a group/organisation/political party or to buy something.

 

-3

Score

__/20

 

 

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY 2 ‘LET’S MAKE THE FAKE NEWS ITEM OF THE YEAR’

Activités pratiques Fiches No Comments

ACTIVITY INTRODUCTION

 

With social media, there is more and more viral fake news that keeps us from having a realistic view of current events. Sometimes, fake news even targets a particular group, which stokes fear and hatred or just spreads misconceptions.

 

To get a better understanding of how fake news is made, you are going to pretend to be a manipulator of information and make up a fake news piece of your own.

 

 

TIPS

 

Definition: When people talk about ‘false information’ or ‘fake news’, they are referring to information that has been fabricated, falsified, or distorted and purposefully spread by individuals, activists, or political officials with the intent of manipulating the public and converting them to their ideas.

 

Characteristics of a ‘good’ fake news piece:

 

  • Sensitive subject: Fake news often spreads so much because it deals with topics that are sensational, political, emotional, extraordinary, or dangerous. In general, fake news plays to our fears and prejudices.
  • Well-structured: The information may be false, but that does not mean that it is not well structured and built around (false) arguments.
  • Good headline: This is very important because the headline is usually what gets people to click on or view the article or post.
  • Good visuals: Regardless of whether they are true or not, articles and news are usually more compelling when accompanied by an image, photo, or video.
  • Posting: For fake news items to have an effect, they need to be posted to multiple social networks (Twitter for political fake news, Facebook for sensationalist fake news, Instagram for faked photos and videos, etc.).

 

 

IT’S YOUR TURN!

 

1: Choose a catchy topic – Your choice of topic will have a big influence on your post’s or article’s impact. It is okay to start with a general topic and then narrow it down.

 

Example: health => medicine => the effects of radiation on the human body

 

2: Find an attention-grabbing headline ­– It should both summarise the main idea and pique curiosity.

 

Example: ‘Doctor in China revives patient with gamma rays’

 

3: Write down several arguments to support/enrich your fake news – Writing down your arguments will help you write and produce your fake news. To do this, you can use different information manipulation techniques, such as taking information or a quote out of context, creating a false witness report, or creating links that do not exist between real events or facts.

 

Example: 1. Define gamma rays 2. You can restart the heart of a patient in cardiac arrest 3. Gamma rays are used in medicine (radiation therapy and radiosurgery) 4. Take a quote out of context 5. Invent a fake statement from a doctor in China 6. Etc.

 

4: Write your fake news piece ­– To write the article, you need to develop the arguments you wrote down before. As for the writing style, it is better to imitate journalistic or scientific articles to make your fake news article seem credible, but do not forget that your goal is still to convince readers.

 

5: Choose a visual – You need to choose a picture that give the best summary of your fake news and shows the people in the story.

 

 

6: Compare your fake news – Now that your piece is finished, you can show your friends how you did it and compare your results (whose fake news was the most credible? The most original? The funniest? Etc.). You can even try to trick your friends but be careful, you absolutely must remind them that this is an exercise to help you recognise manipulation techniques and spot fake news. If your trick works, remind yourself that thousands of other people may subject you to fake news every day, and those people are not your friends.

 

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY 3 “LET’S WRITE OUR OWN ARTICLES”

Activités pratiques Fiches No Comments

ACTIVITY INTRODUCTION

 

Writing an article is no easy feat. We have a few suggestions for you to help you write an article quickly on a topic that interests you and may also be of interest to a larger audience.

 

 

TIPS

 

What is an article? An article is a text that informs and conveys news of general interest while trying to fit as much information in as possible so that readers understand the topic better.

 

You can write articles to add content to your blog or social media accounts, or you can share your take on a story by contributing to your local paper! For example, you can write about your neighbourhood to raise concerns about the problems it faces or, conversely, to highlight positive stories. The angle of attack is up to you!

 

In general, an article should answer the following essential questions:

 

Who? Who is involved in the story?

What? What happened?

Where? Where did it happen?

When? When did it happen?

Why? What caused it to happen?

 

An article’s length may vary, but the most important thing is to help readers understand the topic. Here are a few suggestions on how to write a journalistic article.

 

There are different types of articles, depending on the author’s intent:

 

  • Articles that report on recent news (briefs, wires, write-ups).
  • A long-form article that analyses a topic more in-depth (investigation, feature, interview piece).
  • Opinion articles that express the author’s opinion about a topic (editorial, op-ed, reviews, portraits, etc.)

 

For all of these, before you write an article you must find sources (institutions, other journalists, eyewitnesses, etc.).

 

 

IT’S YOUR TURN!

Once you have collected your information (and checked your sources!), outline the structure of your article. Follow these steps to write your article:

 

I/ Headline

The headline is very important; it has to be short, incisive, and give readers an idea of the topic as well as the author’s point of view.

You can add a subheading, a short phrase to introduce the article, after the headline.

 

II/ Lede

The beginning of an article is very important; it has to draw readers in so they keep reading. The lede therefore needs to tell readers why the topic is being addressed.

 

III/ Body

The body is the heart of the article. Always remember to separate fact from opinion! There is no such thing as an objective interpretation. However, if you look at all aspects of the topic, you can present it completely and let the reader decide for themselves.

 

IV/ Tail

The tail is the conclusion of the article. This summary can also give the author’s personal opinion as well as suggestions for the future (while still remaining on topic).

You can use the tools below as needed to help you outline and write the first draft of your article:

 

 

OUTLINING YOUR ARTICLE

 

HEADLINE AND SUB

The headline should be punchy. The sub adds onto the headline and sums up the main points in one or two lines.

  

LEDE

The beginning of an article is very important; it has to draw readers in so they keep reading.

  

BODY

An article should answer the following questions:

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

Always remember to separate fact from opinion!

  

TAIL

A brief conclusion of the article.

  

 

You can add visuals your article, such as photos or videos. However, you must always caption your visuals (a sentence describing the image and its source).

 

Do not forget to proofread your article! You can ask someone else to help you make it better.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF MEDIA AND INFORMATION

Fiches Jeunes Quizz No Comments

INFOS OR FAKE NEWS ?

Fiches Quizz No Comments

1 – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A JOURNALIST?

Chapitres Fiches Jeunes Uncategorised No Comments

KEY CONCEPTS

 

A journalist’s mission is to research and verify information, write it up, and publish it on some type of medium. Thus, first and foremost, a journalist is an author, a master of the written word. In addition, though, journalists have to do reporting, filming, interviewing, recording, photography, image editing, formatting, and more. The profession encompasses of a wide range of positions, such as editor-in-chief, international correspondent, editor, and video journalist. At the same time, journalists can choose to specialise (beat reporter, sports/economics/finance/political journalist, etc.).

 

Regardless of their medium or employer, journalists must follow a few basic rules (always check sources and facts, choose an angle to prioritise information, grab readers’ attention with a simple, lively, and direct style) and are bound by a strict and specific code of ethics (respect people’s dignity, think critically, verify sources, etc.).

 

A professional journalist is the title given to someone for whom journalism is a primary, regular, and remunerated occupation; works for one or more daily or periodical publications, for one or more news agencies, for radio, television, or online media; and for whom this work is their main source of income.

 

The work of journalists is vital for ensuring that the public is informed. In English, journalism is often called the Fourth Estate, and in other languages, the ‘fourth power’ alongside the legislative, executive and judicial powers. Since the media have uncovered so many political scandals, some governments try to control their country’s media outlets.

 

 

CASE IN POINT


 KRIK: Example of an investigative news outlet in Serbia: https://www.krik.rs/

 

In Serbia, journalists at the investigative news outlet KRIK have documented many investigations into corruption and organised crime in their country. According to Jelena Radivojević, one of KRIK’s six journalists, in an interview with the Courrier des Balkans, editor-in-chief Stevan Dojcinović is the regular target of many particularly vicious attacks by the Serbian tabloids, which are funded by the authorities.

 

The journalist and her colleagues state that the government uses certain media outlets as a proxy to discredit the writing staff as a whole, and some of them personally, for example by accusing them of being ‘secret agents working for other countries’ or by publishing private photos.

 

Although the journalists have never been physically attacked, one reporter’s apartment was ransacked and death threats have been sent to the journalists via Facebook; the perpetrators were never investigated.

 

The case of KRIK highlights the risks of being a journalist and the obstacles to press freedom in Serbia and around the world.

2 – WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF MEDIA?

Chapitres Fiches Jeunes No Comments

KEY CONCEPTS

 

Traditional media are media that pre-date the internet – that is, radio, television, and print media. Starting in the 1990s and the dawn of the digital era, these legacy media reinvented themselves with ‘online’ editions as well as smartphone and tablet versions.

 

In 2004, new types of media arrived on the scene and started to compete with traditional media: social media (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, etc.). Social media are digital platforms with user-generated content that are based around people’s interactions. This logic of collaboration is unique to Web 2.0: users, once passive consumers of information, have taken on an active role.

 

The evolution of the media world represents an opportunity. The rise of new digital media, such as blogs, Wikipedia, YouTube, and social networks, encourages broader access to knowledge, freedom of expression, and civic participation.

 

When it comes to the role of media, both traditional and online, UNESCO provides a useful method of categorisation. Media can fulfil one or more of the following purposes:

  • A channel for information and knowledge
  • An entity that provides a check on the government
  • Facilitator of the democratic process and moderator of debates
  • Vehicle for cultural expression
  • Unifier of a community

 


CASE IN POINT

 

The Balkan route is an increasingly common route for Syrian and Afghan migrants seeking to reach Europe.

Social media play a major role in how this information is covered. Asylum seekers’ tweets and Instagram posts from along the Balkan route paint a better picture of the human reality experienced by people involved.

 

The French news site LeFigaro.fr (link) used these candid posts to plot the migrants’ journey to reach Austria, Germany, or Sweden via Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, and Hungary.

 


The migrants’ journey on the Balkan route, documented and plotted using the migrants’ own social media content.

 

This use of social media attests to the changes in the media landscape and the role of media. Nowadays, anyone can be witness to an event and share it with the entire world one second later. This has given rise to ‘citizen journalism’, which makes every social media user a potential producer of news.

3 – WHAT IS FREEDOM OF THE PRESS?

Chapitres Fiches Jeunes No Comments

KEY CONCEPTS


 Freedom of the press guarantees that citizens shall have all the necessary information to make up their minds freely.

 

The job of the press is to inform readers and spark debates of ideas amongst the public. To do this, journalists follow certain rules. They must cover all topics while ensuring that they verify information to guarantee quality.

 

In a country that guarantees freedom of the press, journalists can do their jobs freely and experience no barriers to sharing their media content. This means they have the freedom they need to carry out rigorous journalism by conducting enquiries, investigations, and comparing sources. A journalist who is free uses analysis and contextualisation of the facts and possible explanations. This journalistic method is the basis for having reliable, high-quality information.

 

In some countries, press freedom is under threat and journalists may be kept from covering certain events or criticising people in power. Each year, the NGO Reporters Without Borders publishes a World Press Freedom Ranking.

 

 

CASE IN POINT

 

In August 2018, Montenegrin investigative journalist Jovo Martinovic was the winner of the 2018 Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism. He was given the award for his contributions to a free and independent press.

 

Jovo Martinovic has worked for a number of international outlets such as the BBC, The Economist, and The Financial Times. He is known for his extensive reporting on organised crime in Europe and war criminals in the Balkans. As a result of his investigations, he has been charged with drug trafficking.

 

In order to better understand issues related to press freedom, you can read ‘Indictment of freelance Montenegrin journalist Jovo Martinović’, a letter written by the International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists and addressed to the Prime Minister of Montenegro. The letter demands that considerations be made for the circumstances of the journalist’s contact with the suspects: he was under cover for the sake of his investigation.

4 – HOW DO YOU CHECK INFORMATION?

Chapitres Fiches Jeunes No Comments

KEY CONCEPTS


 Nowadays, information available online is shared just as much by reliable sources and professional journalists as by people who manipulate facts and produce fake news. This is why it has become essential in the digital world to be able to tell the difference between truth and fiction.


 There are some simple questions to ask yourself to assess a news item’s quality and relevance, as well as the reliability of the source. Before you even start reading an article or watching a video, you need to take a moment to think critically and ask yourself:

  • Who wrote this document? Is the author an expert on the topic?
  • What kind of website or publisher is this?
  • Where did this information come from? Are the sources cited?
  • When was the item posted?
  • What are the site’s goals: To sell something? To inform? Convince? Frighten?

 

In addition, to increase its reliability and chances of being considered correct, a news item should be confirmed by other sources of information and/or found on other media. We say that the information must be corroborated in order to be verified.

 

CASE IN POINT
 

Independent media is one of the best ways of getting reliable news. Independent media engage in professional journalism, meaning they are committed to producing ‘high-quality, complete, free, independent, and pluralist’ news.

 

Many independent media outlets in the Balkans meet these criteria, including:

 

To discover more independent media outlets in the Balkans region, you can go to the ‘Independent media’ section of the Talmil platform (link).

 

5 – HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY FAKE NEWS?

Chapitres Fiches Jeunes No Comments

KEY CONCEPTS

 

To spot fake news, you must use the tools of fact checking as often as possible by following a few rules:

 

1. Find out the nature of the site where you found the item. Usually, the ‘Legal notices’ or ‘About’ sections of a website will tell you what kind of site you are visiting (blog, humour site, government, etc.). If it is a social media site, find out the nature of the account that posted or shared the item (parody account, government account, etc.).

 

2. Check the publication date of the item. These days, news quickly becomes obsolete or debunked/verified.

 

3. Find out the author’s identity. Is the author a journalist? An expert on the topic they are discussing? A private individual? Ask yourself about the author’s intent: are they looking to inform, state their point of view, or manipulate?

 

4. Trace the item back to its source. Where was it originally published? Very often on the internet, information is shared, posted, and sometimes also twisted, taken out of context, or given ‘spin’, so it is important to find out where the information came from.

 

5. Ask yourself the right questions, be curious and sceptical. Critical thinking is the best tool we have to protect ourselves from fake news and conspiracy theories.

 

 


CASE IN POINT

 

In the 2016 American presidential campaign, the city of Vélès, Macedonia became the ‘fake news capital of the world’. What happened was that around a hundred young Macedonians, operating under the influence of state powers, created a veritable ‘fake news factory’, whose goal was to use the internet to barrage American public opinion with fake news in order to help Donald Trump win.

 

These young people were earning almost 10,000 euros per month to create fake accounts and make up fake articles. One of the most common fake news pieces sought to undermine Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s credibility by spreading rumours to tarnish her image. The fake piece alleging that ‘Barack Obama was funding Hillary Clinton’s campaign with money stolen from veterans’ came from Vélès and gained significant traction in the US.