Mashable: “In a timely (and necessary) step towards broader news literacy, a new fact-checking site has launched to teach people how to better pinpoint misinformation. Called RumorGuard, it offers a one-stop shop for misinformation debunking and a glimpse into the fact-checking process, on top of a library of authoritative tools to help individuals spot, verify, and fight against rapidly spreading misinformation themselves. With the escalating problem of unverified information continuing to trend and spread ahead of this year’s midterm elections, every resource is essential — especially as Americans continue dropping the ball on media and news literacy tests. A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 26 percent of American adults could discern factual news statements from fake ones. A 2019 Stanford study had even bleaker news on the teen front, finding that two-thirds of high school participants couldn’t find the differences between news information and advertisements, and 96 percent couldn’t effectively determine a source’s credibility…”
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Daily Archives: October 11, 2022
TikTok’s infinite scroll spotlights a growing media literacy crisis
Mashable: “”It’s not an uncommon occurrence these days for a friend to tell you they read some article, about something, somewhere, only to have seen a TikTok about it the night before. TikTok insists that it’s “first and foremost an entertainment platform,” but people aren’t necessarily using it that way. It’s increasingly becoming an alternative… Continue Reading
The Inevitable Indictment of Donald Trump
The Atlantic: “It’s clear to me that Merrick Garland will bring charges against Donald Trump. It’s just a matter of when. By Franklin Foer – “As an appellate judge, Merrick Garland was known for constructing narrow decisions that achieved consensus without creating extraneous controversy. As a government attorney, he was known for his zealous adherence… Continue Reading
How to Protect Yourself If Your School Uses Surveillance Tech
Wired: “There are more eyes on students today than just a teacher’s watchful gaze. Thousands of school districts use monitoring software that can track students’ online searches, scan their emails, and in some cases, send alerts of perceived threats to law enforcement. A recent investigation by The Dallas Morning News revealed that colleges have been… Continue Reading
How Amazon’s Acquisitions of iRobot and One Medical Could Affect Your Privacy
Wirecutter: “Over the past two months, Amazon has made high-profile bids to buy iRobot, a robot-vacuum brand, and One Medical, a health-care tech company. It was announced last week that both acquisitions are being reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission, which will draw the process out. If the deals go through, these two companies will… Continue Reading
Everything you should fix on a senior’s phone
Washington Post: “Next time you see your parents in person (and really, you should visit more often) do everyone a favor. Take 30 minutes to borrow their phone and clean house. A little maintenance now can prevent future problems with security, scams, confusion or misinformation. You are going to clear out old junk, fix any… Continue Reading
Internet Archive Announces Launch of the “COVID-19 Web Archive”
Internet Archive Blogs: “We are pleased to announce that the COVID-19 Web Archive is now available! As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, librarians, archivists, and others with interest in preserving cultural heritage began documenting the personal, cultural, and societal impact of the global pandemic on their communities. These efforts included creating archival collections… Continue Reading
TikTokers, Tokers and Terminations
American Bar Association (ABA): “The exploding use of social media can sometimes put employers and employees at odds. Employers must decide how to respond when employees express political and social opinions in the workplace, in conversation or through apparel. Other outside-of-work activities, including lawful drug use, increasingly have employment implications as well. While private employers… Continue Reading
Labor Department Moves to Change Worker Classification Rule
Bloomberg Law: “The Biden administration has issued a highly anticipated proposal on how it will approach independent contractor status under federal wage law, its second attempt to undo a Trump-era standard that it says leaves workers vulnerable to misclassification. The proposal, released Tuesday by the US Labor Department, clarifies when workers should be classified as… Continue Reading
IMF World Economic Outlook October 2022
“Global economic activity is experiencing a broad-based and sharper-than-expected slowdown, with inflation higher than seen in several decades. The cost-of-living crisis, tightening financial conditions in most regions, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the lingering COVID-19 pandemic all weigh heavily on the outlook. Global growth is forecast to slow from 6.0 percent in 2021 to 3.2… Continue Reading
