Staying informed in a post-truth, fake news era

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Fake news has become a catch-phrase in the modern political arena, but what does it really mean? Is it a label for unethical, biased journalism or a turn-of-phrase for news that doesn’t meet one’s personal agenda? How do you spot fake news, and what do you do about it?
Scholars will explore these ideas and more in a speaker series at Oregon State University this spring.
“As a librarian, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of fake news and how to be an educated consumer of media,” said Laurie Bridges, associate professor and instruction and outreach librarian at Oregon State. “The aim of this speaker’s series is to make sense of the idea of fake news and see how media has been used to both educate and manipulate the public throughout modern history.”
Speakers will make presentations at OSU during April and May, and all lectures are all free and open to the public. The series is sponsored by OSU Libraries; OSU Press; OSU Ethnic Studies; the OSU Center for Civic Engagement; and the OSU School of History, Philosophy, and Religion.
The topics include:
“Alternative Facts”
Peter Laufer, 3-4 p.m. April 27, Willamette Rooms, The Valley Library
In an age of instant news and “alternative facts,” information consumers need easy-to-follow rules for sorting truth from lies. Award-winning journalist and University of Oregon Professor Peter Laufer will present Slow News: A Manifesto for the Critical News Consumer. Inspired by the Slow Food movement, a timely antidote is offered to “fake news,” with 29 simple rules for avoiding echo chambers and recognizing misinformation.
“Fake News is the New V.D.: Verbal Deception as a Means of Manipulation”
Trischa Goodnow, 3-4 p.m., May 3, Willamette Rooms, The Valley Library
The phrase verbal deception has been coined to better describe what has popularly become known as fake ...

Read More