The Sift: Ukraine media bias? | False music video rumor | David Beckham’s insta takeover

Discussion about mis- and disinformation online has spiked over the last two years, reflecting a heightened public awareness of the challenges presented by widespread falsehoods. According to data from the social media analysis firm Zignal Labs, mentions of “misinformation” and “disinformation” on Twitter increased 221% in 2020 compared with 2019 — largely coinciding with the rise of public conversations about COVID-19 and vaccines. Other major events, including the 2020 election and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have sustained the public’s focus on the topic. Related: “‘Game of Whac-a-Mole’: why Russian disinformation is still running amok on social media” (Kari Paul, The Guardian). Discuss: What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation? Is the public’s increased awareness of and focus on mis- and disinformation a positive trend? Why or why not? Is misinformation a new problem? What aspects of the problem today are most urgent? Can the problem of mis- and disinformation ever be solved? Why or why not? Resource: “Misinformation” (NLP’s Checkology® virtual classroom).

Mounting criticism of Western news coverage of the war in Ukraine raises important questions about the influence of bias in news decisions during major developing stories. Some have criticized certain reporting on Ukraine as racist and called attention to story framing and word choices that portray “the invasion as the sort of thing that happens in poor countries, but not in Europe.” Even just the sheer amount of coverage, critics say, reveals a double standard in how Western media has covered this war compared to conflicts in other parts of the world. Related: “Opinion: What the shocking images of Ukraine’s dead say about the media — and our biases” (Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post). Idea: Read this statement from the Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association, which highlights news coverage examples involving Ukraine that have sparked widespread criticism. What stands out to you in these examples? How can word choice impact fairness and accuracy? How might your own biases affect the way you perceive news coverage of the war in Ukraine? How can perceptions of this coverage vary in countries around the world? Resource: “Understanding Bias” (Checkology virtual classroom).

A year after the deadly Atlanta-area spa shootings, Asian American and Pacific Islander journalists are reflecting on coverage of the shootings and shining a light on continued anti-Asian violence across the country. Some have pointed out that coverage of the shooting deaths — which included six victims of Asian descent — underscores the importance of having newsrooms “with not only racial diversity,” but with “a variety of life experiences.” Related: “One year after the Atlanta spa shootings, we can’t forget the victims’ names” (Janice Yu, The Washington Post). “AAJA Guidance on Coverage of Anti-AAPI Violence” (Asian American Journalists Association). Discuss: How can having journalists with diverse perspectives and backgrounds help improve a newsroom’s coverage? Why is it important for newsrooms to reflect the diversity of communities they cover? How could a lack of newsroom diversity impact coverage in your community? Dig deeper: Use this think sheet to have students analyze an article from this week's Sift from a news literacy perspective.

Video of man smoking a cigarette in body bag is not from Ukraine

NO: This video is not from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. YES: It is footage from the set of a 2020 rap music video in Moscow. YES: The clip was posted to TikTok on March 28, 2021, by Vasya Ivanov, who is also credited as the production designer on the video.

NewsLit takeaway: A central Russian disinformation narrative during the war in Ukraine has been the baseless claim that Ukraine is faking or staging attacks and casualties. This falsehood has also gained traction among online communities of conspiracy theorists. In an attempt to legitimize this absurd notion, Russian government sources have pointed to misinformation circulating among people who appear to support Ukraine, even going so far as to fabricate pro-Ukraine “fakes” so that they can be “debunked” by sources echoing Russian government talking points. Prior to being shared widely in the false context of Ukraine, this clip circulated online in April 2021 to push the ridiculous claim that COVID-19 deaths were being faked. A different clip from the same music video set circulated online in September 2020 to falsely claim the body bags contained people who had died from COVID-19.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene didn’t refuse to applaud for Ukrainian President Zelenskyy

NO: Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene didn’t refuse to applaud for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he spoke to Congress via videoconference on March 16. YES: Greene clapped at four different points during Zelenskyy’s appearance, as documented in this Twitter thread (archived here) by CNN’s Daniel Dale.

NewsLit takeaway: Controversial figures are frequent targets of misleading and false claims that resonate strongly among critics and partisan groups. The more polarizing the person at the center of the rumor is, the more inclined people who oppose them may be to uncritically accept and spread damaging falsehoods. When a misleading visual — especially a video, which may seem conclusive — is involved, it can touch off a wave of viral outrage. Remember: Our rational thinking is easily bypassed when we’re highly emotional. It’s always best to pause before you share or amplify information, and this is especially true when the content provokes a strong emotional response.

No, Congress didn’t vote to give itself a 21% pay raise

NO: Congress did not vote to give itself a 21% raise. YES: The spending bill signed by President Joe Biden on March 15 included a 21% increase to the Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA), which funds the legislative office budgets — but not the salaries — of members of Congress. YES: As The Associated Press reported, “Annual salaries for members of the House and Senate will remain the same this year, as they have since 2009.”

NewsLit takeaway: Complex pieces of legislation contain details that can easily be misrepresented and used to stir outrage by tapping into widespread concerns about government waste and corruption. In this case, a highly misleading headline published by the far-right website FrontPage Magazine sparked angry reactions and viral sharing across social media and was picked up by other conservative publications.

You can find this week's rumor examples to use with students in these slides.