An image of a person typing on a laptop.

Over the past year, people have been scared and confused about the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Presidential Election, and more. Unfortunately, the media world hasn’t helped. The news has been filled with misinformation from social media, mainstream outlets, and even political and social figures. During a volatile time when people’s livelihoods and health are on the line, this phenomenon––unsurprisingly––has detrimental effects.

The subject of misinformation in the news is an extremely contentious topic, with differing opinions creating a stir in communities across the world (e.g. discussions about “fake news,” deciding what qualifies as satire, restrictions on social media, etc.). It takes an understanding of misinformation as it currently exists for someone to protect themselves from it.

Think about the following question and respond with a written reflection: How can we best defend against misinformation in the news? Doing some research might be a good place to start, but here are some ideas to get you started:

Should social media companies be asked to limit posts that potentially spread misinformation?
- Is this protecting the public, or is it a limitation on free speech?
How does the consumption of media affect the perception of the COVID-19 vaccine?
- What are some common misconceptions?
- How does this affect the public?
Is there an ultimate solution to the spread of misinformation?
- What qualifies as misinformation? Think about satire––like The Onion or Saturday Night Live––and opinion pieces on news sites (these are also called op-eds or periodicals, so keep an eye out for that!).
- Even if there is no ultimate solution, think of a plan that could eliminate as much misinformation as possible. How would you implement that plan?

This prompt was written by Jayna Wadhwa, a Words Alive volunteer.