Is it true? Checking what we read and share
Media carry information, and they do three jobs. Expression media show an idea: text, voice, pictures, video. Transmission media move it from place to place: cable, radio waves, the post, the internet. Recording media keep it: paper, a disc, a memory card. Information you collect yourself, such as a class survey, is primary information. Information that reaches you through someone else, such as a news report about your survey, is secondary, and it may have been shortened or interpreted on the way. So media literacy asks us to cross-check: look for other, independent sources that say the same thing. A rumour spreads because forwarding costs one tap; it needs no proof. Before sharing, ask who made it, when, and whether a second source agrees. A photo can also carry a geotag, the place where it was taken. A picture posted from your home may tell strangers where you live, so a grown-up should help you check the settings. Information ethics means acting well in the information society even when no law forbids the act. Cybercrime is crime done with computers or networks; one kind is identity theft, where someone pretends to be you to use your accounts.
| Question before you share | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Who made this, and when? | a message with no author is weak evidence |
| Does a second, independent source agree? | this is cross-checking |
| Does it push me to feel scared or angry fast? | rumours often do |
| Does a photo show where someone lives or studies? | a geotag or the background can tell |
| Source | Says closed? |
|---|---|
| forwarded message, no author | yes |
| school notice board | no |
| class teacher | no |
With a grown-up: write down a short claim you heard recently (invent one if you like). List two independent places where you could check it, and decide what you would do if they disagree. Do not send the claim to anyone before checking.