Strategies for Resistance - Launch a Countermeasure Campaign
In the digital age, where information is abundant, it's essential to navigate the online landscape with critical thinking. To help combat misinformation, a series of educational videos titled "Inoculation Science" has been developed by Truth Labs for Education, a collaboration between Cambridge University, the University of Bristol, and Google Jigsaw.
The videos address common misinformation techniques and logical fallacies by using the concept of inoculation or prebunking. This approach, inspired by the inoculation theory, exposes viewers to weakened forms of manipulation techniques so they can recognise and resist misinformation when encountered later.
The videos cover a range of manipulation techniques and logical fallacies, including emotional manipulation, misuse of evidence or cherry-picking, false dilemmas, straw man arguments, ad hominem attacks, appeals to ignorance or fear, and scapegoating. These fallacies and techniques are demonstrated in real-world contexts, helping viewers develop critical thinking skills to counter disinformation effectively.
The resource, published by Referencing Hub media, has been developed with the help of The Workshop, experts in framing, who conduct research and draw on data and insights from various disciplines. The discussion and planning template used in the activity is courtesy of The Workshop.
In the activity, students watch the videos, analyse them using a provided template, and then plan and create their own inoculation campaigns using a context of their choice. By the end of this activity, students should be able to discuss the meaning of vocabulary, jargon, or phrases used in the videos, discuss examples of the techniques they have countered in online content, and use the template to plan an inoculation campaign.
Each video runs for less than 2 minutes and uses clips from movies and animated television series to illustrate manipulation techniques rather than real-life contexts. This makes the content engaging and accessible for students.
The work on false information draws specifically on the work of Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw from her book "A matter of fact: Talking truth in a post-truth world." The resource also includes useful links to resources such as Inoculation Science, The Workshop, and a Conversation article on how a team of scientists worked to inoculate a million users against misinformation.
In conclusion, the "Inoculation Science" videos by Truth Labs for Education provide a valuable resource for educators and students alike, helping to build resilience against misinformation and fostering critical thinking skills in a fun and engaging way.
In the context of education-and-self-development, the "Inoculation Science" videos, developed by Truth Labs for Education, serve to equip viewers with the necessary skills for learning how to recognize and resist common misinformation techniques, such as emotional manipulation, misuse of evidence, straw man arguments, and ad hominem attacks. The resource, designed to foster critical thinking in a fun and engaging manner, also provides planning templates for students to create their own inoculation campaigns.
