Our lives are flooded with information. Whether scrolling on our phones, browsing on a computer, or turning on the TV, we are surrounded by news. But how do you know if it is accurate? You will need to perform what we refer to as Lateral Reading--comparing the information presented in your source to additional sources to see if the information is being reported with the same meaning. To start this process, you will need a top-down source assessment.
CARE about Your Sources
How do you know if the resources, such as videos, magazine articles, memes, newspaper articles, news reports, podcasts, editorials, and more, are reliable and report accurate information? The first step is to examine the source by using the acronym CARE:
Click Here for a Downloadable Worksheet
Several factors -- like political context, legal frameworks, economic context, sociocultural context, and safety on the ground, can impede Freedom of the Press. As we evaluate media we have to carefully consider not only the source, but the landscape it was produced in, and understand potential limitations to journalists exercising free speech. We are also encouraged to examine reports on the same event from diverse sources so we can begin to understand the common facts presented in reports and better identify where bias and narrative slant come into play.
Learn more about Freedom of the Press across the globe:
