Combine the coronavirus and a monumental election, and 2020 is shaping up to be an unprecedented year in the United States. But with crises and elections come false information online. As conscientious voters and health consumers, older Americans are often the target of misinformation during times of crisis.
This course will teach seniors how to know what’s true and false online. That includes techniques like reverse image search for identifying false information, lessons on using search engines to fact-check like a professional and a frank chat about how to talk to family members who share misinformation.
By the end of this course, you will be able to fact-check something you see online in less than five minutes.
Schedule
Seminar start and end dates: Sept. 24, 2020 – Oct. 15, 2020
Live online sessions: Thursdays from 11 a.m. Eastern
Course learning outcomes
By the end of this four-week course, you will be able to:
- Identify and spot the seven different types of misinformation and explain why someone shared them.
- Fact-check social media posts using tools and techniques of professional fact-checkers and share what you find to each social media platform.
- Verify the images and videos you encounter on the internet in less than five minutes.
- Operate as a good digital citizen by not sharing misinformation on your social media account.
- Explain to family members and friends the pitfalls of sharing misinformation and teach loved ones how to fact-check on their own.
Who should take this course?
The online group seminar is meant for people 50 years and older who regularly consume news online, often via social platforms like Facebook. The course does not require special internet skills or abilities and is meant for anyone hoping to better detect for themselves what’s true and what’s false online.
Instructors
Al Tompkins
Senior Faculty
The Poynter Institute
Alex Mahadevan
Senior Multimedia Reporter
The Poynter Institute
Training sponsor
Training partner
