Online media training: Helping Students Verify Social Media Content

[Frank W. Baker]

Mediashift has launched a series of online media trainings.  This post explores the activity: "What's The Real Deal?"

Misinformation can spread like a disease on social media. Journalists and news organizations have taken the bait, reporting inaccurate information gathered from social media. We’ve seen this in cases such as the Boston Marathon bombings and Hurricane Sandy, among many other examples.

“What’s the Real Deal?” is an exercise that teaches students to be critical of information on social media platforms. Students learn how to analyze the credibility of user-generated content, social media sources, and news tips from social media. They also become aware of a major challenge facing journalists — balancing the pressure to publish quickly while upholding tradition....