The modern information space is full of various information that comes to us from various sources: news sites, social networks, blogs, messengers, etc. In this flow of information, it is important to learn to critically evaluate the information we receive in order to avoid falling victim to manipulation and disinformation.
Mind map: facts, judgments and their support
To better understand how our personal media field is organized, you can create a mind map by dividing all the information into three categories:
- Facts: objective information that has occurred in reality and is recorded. Facts can be proved, verified and corroborated by other facts. They do not change over time by their very nature. Facts include news, reports of events, research results, statistics, etc.
- Judgments: are subjective statements that contain assumptions, comments, conclusions, estimates, emotions, calls to action, predictions, hypotheses, opinions, rumors, generalizations, stereotypes, and prejudices. Judgments can be based on facts, but they always reflect the point of view of a particular person or group of people.
- Supporting facts that may be judgmental: This is information used to support or refute facts. This category includes logical arguments, eyewitness testimony, research results, statistics, and expert opinions. It is important to note that even factual support can be used for manipulation if it is presented in a distorted way or with important details left out.
How to distinguish fact from judgment?
The main skill of a media literate person is the ability to distinguish facts from opinions. After all, many manipulations are based on the substitution of facts with judgments.
Signs of fact:
- It happened in reality and was recorded.
- It can be proven and verified.
- This can be confirmed by other facts.
- Does not change in essence over time.
Signs of judgment:
- Contains an assessment, attitude, or emotion.
- It can be subjective and different for different people.
- May change over time under the influence of new information.
- Does not require evidence, but can be based on it.
Manipulations in the media space
Unfortunately, in the modern media space, there are often cases when judgments are passed off as facts, and facts are used to confirm judgments that are favorable to someone. Various methods of manipulation can be used for this purpose:
- Distortion of facts: presenting facts in a favorable light while omitting unfavorable details.
- Substitution of concepts: the use of words and phrases that have a double meaning or can be interpreted in different ways.
- Appeal to emotions: using emotionally charged words and images to influence the audience’s feelings.
- Authoritative source: references to authoritative sources that do not actually exist or are not relevant.
- Spreading rumors and fake news: intentionally spreading false information to discredit someone or something.
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