{"id":4006,"date":"2024-05-31T12:36:14","date_gmt":"2024-05-31T11:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/?p=4006"},"modified":"2024-05-31T12:41:02","modified_gmt":"2024-05-31T11:41:02","slug":"be-election-smart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/ga\/be-election-smart\/","title":{"rendered":"Be Election Smart!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ahead of the European Elections, EDMO and the EDMO Hubs are working together to deliver a pan-European campaign highlighting practical tips and resources to help people develop their media literacy skills and make informed decisions based on accurate and reliable information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From April 29, for six weeks, the EDMO Hubs will be publishing a new tip and practical advice every week and signposting users to a range of sources of support. For more information on the EU wide campaign, visit the\u00a0main EDMO website<\/a>\u00a0and follow\u00a0EDMO on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TIP #1 READ MORE THAN THE HEADLINE<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Life is complicated, and so is politics. Headlines are designed to catch your eye, but a headline can\u2019t give the full story, and neither can a short social media post. If it sounds unbelievable, it probably is. So, read the whole story, not just the headline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Headlines can be misleading without being completely false. Some headlines leave out information information that is only explained in the article. Other headlines are sensational. They grab your attention to generate clicks on the post, but the headline is not accurate. And some headlines really are untrue. They might even be accompanied by fake, AI-generated images. Don\u2019t let media override your judgement: read more than the headline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TIP #2 LOOK FOR THE WHOLE PICTURE<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

It only takes a few clicks to change or enhance digital content in ways that create an entirely different meaning. If you see content featuring a public figure doing or saying something sensational, be aware that it might be distorted or fake. Always view content with a critical eye \u2013 especially if it triggers strong emotional reactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies can create images or videos that look like real people but are completely fake. This includes \u201cdeepfake\u201d videos. Audio-only deepfakes are especially hard to verify. EDMO has additional tips on how to identify AI generated content<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TIP #<\/strong>3:\u00a0JUST BECASUE IT\u2019S VIRAL DOESN\u2019T MEAN IT\u2019S TRUE<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Disinformation often provokes a strong emotional reaction and prompts sharing in a moment of outrage, excitement or disbelief \u2013 don\u2019t believe something just because it\u2019s going viral. Bots\/fake accounts can exploit algorithms to amplify content online. Social media and messaging applications make it really easy to share information quickly to large groups of people. In addition, AI-powered technology can also be used to create fake profiles and promote false or inaccurate content, making it go viral with very little authentic sharing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TIP #<\/strong>4:\u00a0GET YOUR INFORMATION FROM MORE THAN ONE SOURCE<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

If a piece of information is only being reported from one source or one media type, it might not be the whole story. Ask yourself who produced it, why, and how it has reached you? Different editorial rules apply across different types of media. In general, there are more checks and balances required for information that is broadcast or published in print, compared to some information online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TIP #<\/strong>5:\u00a0GET YOUR VOTING INFORMATION FROM OFFICIAL SOURCE<\/strong>S<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Seek out reliable information on how, when, and where to vote in the elections from official sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n