Presentation at Broadcast Education Association annual conference, 2014

1. Verifying Social Media Info
Anthony Adornato | Ithaca College
@AnthonyAdornato
@AnthonyAdornato

2. Verifying Social Media Info
When cobras and puppies tweet…how do
you know what to believe?
@AnthonyAdornato

3.  Has one of your newscasts ever reported
information from social media that turned
out to be false or inaccurate?
o Yes 34% (43)
o No 66% (83)
Verifying Social Media Info
@AnthonyAdornato

4.  Does your policy include procedures for
verifying social media content?
o Yes 61% (76)
o No 39% (48)
Verifying Social Media Info
@AnthonyAdornato

5.  Too Good to Be True?
o Instructor selects photos (both real and fake) that circulated on
social media before being reported by news outlets.
o Each group assigned one photo with background info and
discusses how they would verify/determine accuracy of the
photo and information. Report back to class.
o Groups go online to find out the “real deal.” If fake, did news
outlets get duped? Did they issue a correction? Report back to
class.
o Collectively the groups create a master list of tips for verifying
social media info. Instructor shares his/her best practices.
Verifying Social Media Info
@AnthonyAdornato

6. Verifying Social Media Info
o
@AnthonyAdornato

7. Verifying Social Media Info
 Verifying Information
o Go old school! Contact source
o What is the original source?
o Social media history of source
o Seek official and social corroboration
o Beware of amazing images: TinEye.com | Google Images
o Check location of posts
o Storyful | Verification Handbook
@AnthonyAdornato

8. Verifying Social Media Info
 What Should a Social Media Policy Include?
o Verification protocol
o Who’s responsible?
o Etiquette for contacting sources via SM
o Personal/professional guidelines
o Correction guidelines
@AnthonyAdornato

9.  What They Learn
o Critical thinking – don’t take social media info at face value
o Analyze credibility of social media sources/tips
o Balance pressure to disseminate with traditional news values
o Ease/risk of spreading misinformation on social media
platforms
o Collaboration with colleagues
Verifying Social Media Info
@AnthonyAdornato