News Literacy: Bias
Detecting Bias
Objectives:
1.Recognize bias in the news.
2.Understand that bias is not always intentional or clear; it is often:
a)highly debatable/ subjective
b)the result of blind spots and unintentional lapses in judgment
3.Understand the motives of the bad actors who intentionally create and spread misinformation online & those who unwittingly pass it on.
Confirmation Bias
As consumers, we bring our own bias to the news
Information behavior impacts our processing of news:
- Information seeking
- Information selection
- Information avoidance
- Information usage
Beware of the echo chamber!
Project Look Sharp's Do No Harm
- Do No Harm
Click here and open "Selection of Media Documents". This will bring you to their Do No Harm information.
Referenced Articles
- How Media Bias Makes Polarization Appear Worse than it Actually IsThis article from AllSides explains how and why news media makes our country seem more polarized than it actually is.
- How to Identify, Understand, and Unlearn Implicit Bias in Patient CareJul-Aug 2019 Issue of FPM Journal
by Jennifer Edgoose, MD, MPH, Michelle Quiogue, MD, FAAFP, and Kartik Sidhar, MD
Bias forms
The News Literacy Project has identified five forms that bias can take:
- Framing (how the story is presented)
- Story selection (what gets covered)
- Tone (words and phrases that affect our perception of the story)
- Absence of fairness and balance (are all relevant viewpoints presented accurately?)
- Flawed sourcing (are all sources included to make the reporting fair and comprehensive?)
Bias in Tech
Identifying Bias
- AllSides Balanced SearchAllSides Balanced Search reveals information and ideas from all sides of the political spectrum so you can get the full picture.
