Media literacy against disinformation: the vision of South American fact-checkers

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS18520242436

Abstract

In recent years, media literacy has been proposed as one of the alternatives with the greatest potential to fight disinformation, while reducing its effects and consequences for society. In this aspect, fact-checking organizations (known as fact-checkers) also play a relevant role in denying all types of hoaxes and fake news. Therefore, this article aims to know the vision of the people who work within these organizations on media literacy and their role in the face of disinformation. Using empirical research techniques that combine observation and analysis of a series of personal interviews, this study will investigate the perceptions, opinions and assessments of these organizations on media literacy as a tool to combat disinformation. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with journalists from the data verification agencies of each of the countries mentioned below: Chequeado (Argentina), Colombiacheck (Colombia), Fast Check CL (Chile) and Aos Fatos (Brazil), all of them signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). In addition, the main media literacy strategies developed by these fact-checkers and published on their websites are presented, trying to identify common patterns in their strategies. The results of the interviews indicate that media literacy is a strategy considered fundamental by fact-checkers in South America. These entities consider that, although their main task is verification, media literacy seems to be the most appropriate solution to combat disinformation and therefore carry out a variety of actions ranging from workshops and conferences to resources, guides or tools hosted on their websites.

Author Biographies

Javier Abuín-Penas, Universidade de Vigo

Departamento de Comunicación Audiovisual y Publicidad, Universidade de Vigo 

Francisco Fernández-Medina

Departamento de Creación Audiovisual, Universidad Católica de Chile 

Juan-Manuel Corbacho-Valencia, Universidade de Vigo

Departamento de Comunicación Audiovisual y Publicidad, Universidade de Vigo

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Published

2024-02-13

How to Cite

Abuín-Penas, J., Fernández-Medina, F., & Corbacho-Valencia, J.-M. (2024). Media literacy against disinformation: the vision of South American fact-checkers. Observatorio (OBS*), 18(5). https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS18520242436

Issue

Special Issue (2024) Uses of Media Literacy to tackle disinformation: the multiple roles of different stakeholders

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2024 Javier Abuín-Penas, Francisco Fernández-Medina, Juan-Manuel Corbacho-Valencia Observatorio (OBS*) has an academic journal profile. As such, it is dedicated to the open exchange of its contents, and freely available to individuals and institutions without charge or formal permission. Copies of this journal or articles in this journal may be distributed for research or educational purposes free of charge and without permission. Authors will not be charged for publication or submission to this journal. Authors who publish in Observatorio (OBS*) will release their contributions under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-2.0 generic. This licence allows anyone to copy and distribute the article for non-commercial purposes provided that appropriate attribution is given - being the author the copyright holder. This journal utilizes the LOCKSS system to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration. The publisher perpetually authorizes participants in the LOCKSS system to archive and restore our publication through the LOCKSS System for the benefit of all LOCKSS System participants. Specifically participating libraries may: • Collect and preserve currently accessible materials; • Use material consistent with original license terms; • Provide copies to other LOCKSS appliances for purposes of audit and repair. Fair use of a copyrighted work, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include: 1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; 2. the nature of the copyrighted work; 3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; & 4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors. In accord with these provisions, the OBS journal believes in the vigorous assertion and defense of Fair Use by scholars engaged in academic research, teaching and non-commercial publishing. Thus, we view the inclusion of “quotations” from existing print, visual, audio and audio-visual texts to be appropriate examples of Fair Use, as are reproductions of visual images for the purpose of scholarly analysis. We encourage authors to obtain appropriate permissions to use materials originally produced by others, but do not require such permissions as long as the usage of such materials falls within the boundaries of Fair Use.