A Thorough Guide to the UNESCO Handbook! The Truth About "Fake News" and How to Survive the Era of Infodemics

"The Pope has endorsed Trump"

"Lions roaming the streets after the earthquake in XX (country)"

Have you ever come across shocking news like this? We are surrounded by information where it is impossible to distinguish between truth and lies.

Such "fake news" and "disinformation" are not just mere hoaxes; they are causing serious division and confusion in society. To address this global issue, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has published a detailed handbook (model curriculum) for journalists, educators, and citizens like us to confront this problem.

UNESCO Fake News Response Handbook: Journalism Education in the Age of Social Media
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391647

In this article, based on this "UNESCO Fake News Response Handbook", we will thoroughly explain the essence of modern "information disorder" and how we can wisely engage with information.

1. Why is the term "fake news" dangerous?

The handbook first points out that the term "Fake News" itself is problematic.

● Contradiction in terms: By definition, "news" refers to information that is verifiable and serves the public interest. Anything that does not meet those criteria is not "news." Therefore, the term "fake news" is a contradiction in itself (an oxymoron).

● Attacking the "real": When this term is used frequently, it undermines the credibility of "real news" as a whole.

● A political "weapon": Most seriously, this term is being "weaponized." People in power or specific groups use it to label reports or media organizations that are inconvenient to them as "fake news," intentionally demeaning their credibility and using it as a means of attack.

2. The essence of the problem: What is "Information Disorder"?

Therefore, instead of the ambiguous term "fake news," UNESCO uses the concept of "Information Disorder" to analyze this complex phenomenon.

"Information disorder" is mainly classified into three types based on the combination of the "falsity" of the information and the "intent to cause harm."

1. Misinformation

○ Content: False information.

○ Intent: There is no intent to cause harm.

○ Example: Cases where an individual shares incorrect health information or old news in good faith, believing it to be true.

2. Disinformation

○ Content: False information.

○ Intent: There is an intent to cause harm (intent to deceive).Yes.

○ Example: Cases where false information is intentionally fabricated and spread as if it were a news article to influence an election or for financial gain.

3. Mal-information

○ Content: Information based on facts.

○ Intent: There is an intent to cause harm.Yes.

○ Example: Cases where personal privacy (medical history, sexual orientation, past mistakes, etc.) is intentionally leaked, regardless of public interest, to cause harm to that individual.

Much of what we call "fake news" falls under "Disinformation" here, but it is clear that the problem is not limited to that alone.

3. You might be getting fooled too? 7 specific types of "Information Disorder"

The handbook (Module 2) further classifies how this "information disorder" appears into 7 types. This is extremely clever, and in many cases, it skillfully utilizes "authentic" elements rather than 100% lies.

1. Satire or parody

○ There is no intent to cause harm, but people who do not understand the context may take it as real news and spread it.

2. False connection

○ A state where headlines, images, or captions do not match the content of the article. This is what is known as "clickbait."

3. Misleading content

○ Uses facts but presents information in a misleading way. For example, manipulating the axes of a graph to make changes look larger, or using statistics that only show convenient parts.

4. False context (misuse of context)

○ This is a very common and powerful tactic. Authentic information (photos or articles) is reused by applying it to a completely different context.

○ Example: During the 2015 Nepal earthquake, a completely unrelated photo taken in Vietnam in 2007 was circulated as a 'tragic scene immediately after the earthquake'.

5. Imposter Content

○ This involves disguising the source of information by unauthorized use of the names of real journalists or the logos of trusted news organizations like the BBC or CNN.

6. Manipulated Content

○ Real photos or videos are processed or edited using tools like Photoshop and used for the purpose of deception.

7. Fabricated Content

○ This is 100% false, completely made-up information. The article mentioned at the beginning, 'The Pope endorsed Trump,' is a classic example of this.

4. Why does 'information disorder' spread so rapidly?

Why has such sophisticated misinformation become so deeply embedded in society? The handbook (Module 3) points to the 'structural changes in the news industry' behind this.

● ① Collapse of the traditional business model

○ Advertising revenue that once supported news media such as newspapers has been taken over by the internet (especially platforms like Google and Facebook), leading to a sharp decline.

○ As a result, news organizations have fallen into a serious shortage of resources (staff, budget, time). They no longer have the luxury of spending time on sufficient investigation, 'fact-checking,' or quality control processes (such as proofreading).

● ② Digitalization and the pressure of immediacy

○ With digital-first becoming the norm, news is required to be reported 'right now.' This speed competition increases the risk of disseminating information without sufficient verification.

○ Also, to earn PV (page views), there is a growing tendency to rely on sensational clickbait.

● ③ The social media (SNS) ecosystem

○ Everyone is a publisher: With the advent of SNS, anyone can create and disseminate content without going through traditional media (gatekeepers).

○ Abuse of 'trust': On SNS, information is often trusted based on 'who said it.' We tend to believe information shared by 'friends and family' more than media we don't know. Misinformation exploits this 'network of trust' and spreads explosively by appealing to emotions (regardless of its truthfulness).

○ The trap of algorithms: SNS algorithms prioritize displaying information that we 'want to see' (= information close to our own opinions). This creates isolated spaces called 'filter bubbles' or 'echo chambers,' which reduce opportunities to encounter opinions different from our own or verified information.

5. What can we and journalism do?

There are two "antidotes" to this difficult situation. They are "ethical journalism" and "our own media literacy".

The Role of Journalism

● Regaining the "Discipline of Verification"

○ The handbook emphasizes that the core that distinguishes professional journalism from other information is the "discipline of verification".

○ Journalists must not only report "he said this," but also improve their ability to investigate whether those claims are true and conduct fact-checking.

● Increasing Transparency

○ It is necessary to increase transparency by showing readers the "methodology," such as "why this article was written" and "what process was used for reporting."

● Exposing "Information Disorder" itself

○ As an important role of journalism, it is required to actively investigate disinformation campaigns and information manipulation networks, and expose their tactics (e.g., investigative reporting by Rappler in the Philippines).

Our (the recipients') role: Media and Information Literacy (MIL)

We citizens cannot remain mere "consumers of information."

● Having healthy skepticism

○ We must recognize that not all information is created equal, and not all information is reliable.

● Acquiring "critical thinking"

○ Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is not just the ability to find information. It is the ability to critically question "by whom" and "for what purpose" that information was created, and to see through whether one is being intentionally manipulated.

● Being aware of one's own "biases"

○ We humans have a "confirmation bias" where we tend to collect and believe only information that supports our existing beliefs and views. It is important to pause and consider whether we are unconditionally accepting information we want to believe.

Summary

As the UNESCO handbook shows, "information disorder" is a very complex, deep-rooted problem intertwined with technology, psychology, economics, and politics.

However, by understanding how it works, we can transform from mere "receivers" of information into beings who "actively evaluate" information.

Journalism must return to its fundamental role of "verification" 59. And each of us must acquire "media and information literacy" and face information with a healthy skepticism 60. These two wheels together will surely become the most reliable compass for surviving the era of information pollution.

The next time you are about to share shocking information, please pause and consider whether it fits into any of the "seven types" introduced in this article.

This article was created by ChartGPT-5 based on the following materials.

● UNESCO (2018). "Journalism, 'Fake News' & Disinformation" (Japanese version: 2024 publication "UNESCO Fake News Response Handbook: Journalism Education in the SNS Era")