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Misinformation and Disinformation — a Toolkit
Misinformation and disinformation have grown exponentially since Election Day. There are so many false claims that it’s difficult to address them all individually. We at MWEG want to provide you with the resources you need to fact-check and address misinformation as you see it. Below you will find: A list of reputable fact-checking websites that may help you as you seek truth and address disinformation in your own sphere of influence. Information about the election process from trusted national sources. Links to swing state news outlets, which are often more trusted than the national news media. State election office website links. Local election officials have been doing their best to…
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Returning to the Supreme Court: Trump v. Vance and Questions of Presidential Immunity
In July, the Supreme Court issued a decision — Trump v. Vance — on the topic of presidential immunity. In it, a 7-2 vote by the Supreme Court affirmed the long-recognized principle that a sitting president is not above the law but is subject to investigation for criminal conduct and the demand for subpoenas in such an investigation. The Court did leave open the possibility of contesting the subpoenas on more specific terms, which President Trump has done. A lower court ruling was issued on this on October 6, 2020, and the case may return to the Supreme Court. This article will provide a summary of the Supreme Court opinions…
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Media Literacy: Understanding QAnon
What is QAnon? QAnon is a multi-faceted conspiracy theory with a core belief that President Donald Trump is helping to fight a ring of Satan-worshiping pedophiles who control the government, media, and entertainment industries. The conspiracy theory began in 2017 when an anonymous person who claimed to be a government insider, “Q,” started posting his theories on fringe social media sites. QAnon followers believe the “deep state” is out to get the president and that high-ranking government officials are working against him. Other conspiracies promoted by QAnon supporters span a variety of topics, including COVID-19, the Illuminati, UFOs, and vaccines. Sometimes these theories are contradictory. Groups like the Anti-Defamation League…
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MWEG Voter Preparation Parties
Are you ready to vote on November 3? A big part of our mission at MWEG is to encourage greater civic engagement, and right now we are in the midst of an all-out push to Protect the Vote. This initiative involves helping citizens register to vote, sharing election information, and ensuring each voice is heard at the ballot box this November. And you can help! Now is the time to make sure you are not only properly registered to vote but prepared to fill out your ballot! Start now to learn more about the candidates and issues that will be on your ballot in November. You can make that process…
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Media Literacy: Conspiracy Theories — What’s Driving Them?
At a time of heated political division, a global pandemic, social upheaval, and worldwide unrest, conspiracy theories are quickly spreading throughout social media, radio, and other traditional media platforms. Unfortunately, conspiracy theories are not innocuous. Anyone can be susceptible to them; no demographic is immune. And they cause people to act in ways that result in direct harm to individuals and institutions. As we wrote in a previous educational piece about addressing misinformation: “False information perpetuates injustice and division, and allowing such information to spread can cause people to become distrustful of any information and sink into cynicism and apathy. People act based on the information they receive, and actions…
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Who’s WHO — and Why You Should Care
As we near 3.5 million cases of the coronavirus and surpass 135,000 deaths, President Donald J. Trump has formally withdrawn the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). The withdrawal comes on the heels of the president freezing funding to the WHO in April 2020. The U.S. contributes upwards of $400 million annually to the WHO and is the group’s largest contributor (though even before the freeze the U.S. was close to $200 million in arrears to the organization). The claims Trump has made to justify the withdrawal — including that the WHO failed to share information in a timely and transparent manner, gave faulty information, and is too…
