INFORMED CITIZENS

Every person has the right to be informed about current issues by authoritative and legitimate news sources. However, the growth of the internet and social media has altered the traditional media landscape and has made it easier for false and misleading content to be distributed. Social media companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google have turned into monopolies, and their algorithms determine what billions of internet users see everyday. Due to this, every person lives in their own "filter bubble", seeing only the content that is suggested for them by these platforms. Local and national newspapers and cable TV news channels have become more biased and are driven by the goal of maximizing profits, even when that means exploiting and misinforming viewers. Honest journalists in the U.S. and abroad are being targeted, jailed, and mistreated by governments and nefarious organizations. Educational institutions and governments often under-inform or misinform individuals about world history, especially about sensitive topics such as racial discrimination and slavery. These factors have led to a global misinformation crisis. This page aims to inform on the prevalence of this problem and ways to combat the spread of misinformation. For a list of legitimate news outlets, please visit our reliable sources page. 

LEARNING RESOURCES

Background

Social Media

Bias and Corruption in News Media

Journalists Targeted

Schools

Governments

More Resources