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You have permission to adapt slides for classroom use (including remove or add images, change the font, remove or add activities, and break up into several slideshows). But you do not have permission to change the words within the text.

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Is It Fake News?

Think about It! Be Skeptical!

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by Juan G. Ramirez

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This article is also available in audio and as a PDF.

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BEFORE YOU READ:

1. What are deep fakes and fake news? Share what you know.
2. What does it mean to be skeptical? What are some things you are skeptical about? Give some examples.
3. Note: Some slides have links to the Digital Skills Glossary, where you can find definitions of key words.

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Think Critically

In the 2024 elections, we need to be aware of fake news and deep fakes.*

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*a deep fake is a photo or video that has been altered

As a joke, one dad made deep fake photos of his kids and sent the photos to his wife. See more here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrFVi4Iklx8

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It is now easy for people to share false information. For example, artificial intelligence (AI) can copy the voices of politicians and make it look like they are saying something that they never said.

For a definition of artificial intelligence (AI), see this slide.

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We must protect ourselves by thinking critically and by being skeptical of what we read. We cannot take the news at face value.

For a definition of critical thinking, see this slide.

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Be Skeptical

Education will help us think critically about what we see in the media. Schools for kids and adults should teach media literacy.

Photo by Jon Mannion https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmannion/8359039865

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We should learn how to fact-check by using tools like Snopes, which can help us know what is true and what is a lie.

https://www.snopes.com/

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It is important to verify information before sharing it.

For more about how to verify, see this slide on lateral reading.

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We should learn how to know if a source is reputable. We should check multiple sources to try to learn what is true. We should check multiple sources to try to learn what is true.

For a definition of source, see this slide.

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By being skeptical, we can make fake news less effective at tricking people.

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Make a Functional Democracy

Everyone should want a better future. It starts with working together to educate ourselves and get the truth on current events.

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That way, we can have a functional democracy and a president who will commit to making this country a better one for all people.

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AFTER YOU READ:

1. In the first paragraph, the author says, “It is now easy for people to share false information.” What’s different about now than, say, 10-20 years ago? How is it easier for people to share false information?
2. In that same paragraph, the author says, “We cannot take the news at face value.” What does he mean by that? (Note: “face value” is figurative language.”)
3. For more on how to identify fake news, see the infographic about how to spot fake news on slides 14-22.

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This infographic from the International Association of Library Associations and Institutions presents 8 strategies for how to spot fake news. The next 8 slides zoom in on each strategy.

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Juan Ramirez was born in Juarez, Mexico. He enjoys working on cars and taking walks in the evenings. He loves the taste of Mexican food. He likes to spend his time learning as much as he can, especially, English, which is not his first language. He is a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas.

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