Mediatwits #180: How Misinformation Spread Online After Terror Attacks

The terrorist attacks in Paris and their aftermath are still unfolding, and journalists from around the world are covering it. Whether they’re in Paris or somewhere else, journalists are helping to check facts to displace speculation. One helpful source of information during the attack was France 24’s English language feed. The English live stream has since been added to Youtube which you can watch for free. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, misinformation was spread in the first few days following the initial attack. A Canadian man had a picture altered to look like he was wearing an explosive vest. The picture was then picked up first on social media and then by an Italian television channel. He wasn’t the only one mistakenly identified as a terrorist; an Egyptian man who was identified as a terrorist by media turned out to have been an innocent bystander. We’ve seen cases like these in the reporting of the Boston bombings and the attack on Charlie Hebdo. This time didn’t prove different. What are the best practices for journalists who find themselves on the ground? We’ll speak with Joshua Keating, staff writer at Slate; Lindsay Palmer, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Andrew Lih at American University. MediaShift’s Mark Glaser will host with Jefferson Yen producing.

Видео Mediatwits #180: How Misinformation Spread Online After Terror Attacks канала MediaShift