Online and in the news, the word "disinformation" appears often, but what does it mean, and how can it be combated? This book explores the most common usage of the term disinformation, the intentional spread of false information for political means, and provides guidance for how to spot it online, with special attention paid to its propagation through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. With colorful photographs and sidebars about...

Facebook, Google, and other major internet companies track clicks and use that data to provide personalized content. More and more, each person encounters a unique online world, what some experts call a "web of one." This essential resource explores what filter bubbles are and how they work. It looks at the potential downsides of filter bubbles, such as deepening political divides and the rise of confirmation bias. It offers helpful advice about how...

Due to today's nonstop news cycle and the omnipresence of the internet, the search for facts can be more difficult than ever. A rumor or untruth can be shared at the touch of a button. This volume analyzes the various types of hoaxes that appear online and in the news, providing readers with a comprehensive set of tools to discover whether or not a story, image, or quotation is true. Hoaxes covered range from the historical Piltdown Man to the recent...