Misinformation is quite literally EVERYWHERE online, and it can be hard to know what’s true and what’s not in this day of scrolling. I tried out two tools that are designed to help people understand misinformation better, RumorGuard and the game Breaking Harmony Square, so lets talk about them!
RumorGuard is a site from the News Literacy Project that basically fact-checks viral claims and breaks them down step by step to let you know the truth. How I have never heard of this website, I have no idea, but I truly think it is one of the coolest things I have found from an ASU course so far. Each rumor is tested using five things: Source, Evidence, Context, Reasoning, and Authenticity. You just click on any rumor and it walks you through each factor, showing where the claim falls apart or where it holds up. For example, here is the most recent rumor on the home screen about the state of Texas allegedly banning Mountain Dew.
(My picture would never upload and I didn’t know what to do so here is a link lol)
What it really teaches is that you shouldn’t just accept something immediately when you see it online, especially from a random tweet or instagram post. This website gives you a checklist you can store in the back of your brain and really apply anywhere online as you scroll your heart out. I like that it’s really simple and makes fact-checking feel doable for anyone, not just journalists or professionals. I think the only weakness would be that you have to actually practice the five steps on your own for it to stick because just reading them isn’t enough. RumorGuard is effective because it’s very clear, up-to-date, and actually shows you the process of how things are proven right or wrong instead of just saying “true” or “false.” It’s a really good tool to learn from and then apply to your own social media feeds, because I know I will be banking it and using it for the next time I scroll.
Honestly, I had a lot of fun playing every single one of these games and I am not entirely sure what that says about me. The one I ended up choosing to write about was Breaking Harmony Square as it ended up being my favorite of the three and one which I feel like I actually learned something from. You become sort of a troll online and set out to destroy other’s reputations while also learning what catches eyes and can get likes online when it comes to rumors or click worthy topics. In this age of digital media and technology, learning the trends and what may give you views has become so important for not only those spreading news and the truth, but those attempting to spread misinformation. The game showed you how misinformation was spread online, and how trolls ultimately have a life goal of stirring up drama, spreading fake news, and attempting to divide the internet. It allowed me to step into the shoes of a troller to see how twisting facts and creating false narratives can turn the internet against you, or build up a fan base and bring your false rumors to life.
I think it’s pretty effective in teaching about misinformation because it’s very interactive and makes you realize how easy it is to cause division if people don’t stop and question what they see online. It also shows that misinformation isn’t just about fake facts but also it’s about how content is framed and shared to manipulate emotions of those online. The only downside is that you only see it from the perspective of those spreading all of the misinformation, so you might have to take that extra step of reflecting afterward to really understand how to apply the lesson in real life from the other side of the internet and those who might be the ones receiving all the false information.
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