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Rina Vecchiola, Art and Architecture Librarian

Art History and Architecture subject librarian

How to Be Media Literate: Be curious. Be reflective. Actively investigate your news sources.

  1. If you have an immediate emotional reaction to a news article or source: pause, reflect, investigate. Exciting an emotional reaction is a primary goal of fake news producers. Do not be part of a viral fake news spiral.
  2. Independently verify the source (by performing a separate search) and independently verify the information (through more mainstream news sources or fact-checking sites).
  3. Select news sources known for high-quality, investigative reporting. Search these sources directly. Don't settle for web search results or social media news feeds.
  4. Social media algorithms are designed to present the news that reinforces your current views, not a balanced view.