The Internet and social media have made it easier for everybody to access, share and publish information, but that has come at a cost: it’s harder than ever to tell the difference between accurate information and advertising, misinformation and parody, and it’s easy for any of us to help spread false information without meaning to.
Because so many of us turn to online sources for information, authentication (the process of verifying that information is true, unbiased and relevant) can no longer be something we only practice in school: our health, our finances, and even our democracy depend on having – and sharing – good information.
The Reality Check! program as designed to help Canadians develop the search, authentication and critical thinking skills that are needed in the digital age and the tools they need to verify different kinds of online information and to help them understand why it’s important to double-check before they share information online.. ~ MediaSmarts
Visit Reality Check on the MediaSmarts website for detailed information.
Online news is one of the hardest things to verify. Sometimes early reports that turn out not to be true still circulate on the Internet, and people may spread false reports for commercial or malicious reasons, or even just for “fun.” ~ MediaSmarts
Download the News You Can use Tip Sheet.
Being well-informed – and being careful to only share good information – are essential parts of being an active citizen in a democracy. It’s important to think before you share political information with family and friends – especially during an election. Here are three tips to help make sure you have good information about important issues.
Download the Authentication and Citizenship Tip Sheet
“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting its shoes on.” (attributed, wrongly, to Mark Twain) ~ MediaSmarts
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Digital Literacy & Citizenship 