BiG Tips: Part 1 of this series has 10 free, detailed USA lectures explaining the concepts behind, what is, and how to fact check and suss out bullshit and misinformation. This post expands on these in an Australian context. These government and non government sites and resources help you find ‘who’ and ‘what’ to look out for. BiG’s Part 3 in the series looks at if you’ve been lied to, ripped-off, or scammed, who could help, and where to report any offenders.

Fact Checking

RMIT ABC Fact Check They say: “Assesses the accuracy of claims by politicians, public figures, advocacy groups and institutions engaged in public debate. A collaboration between the ABC and RMIT University. Australian focus.”
Great Fact Checking Library Guides on Fake News, Fact checking toolkit and more.

How to spot fake news online, Australian Government
How Fake Science Can Fool You (YouTube) Wisecrack (USA). They say “Pseudoscience: It’s easy to mock it, and even easier to fall for it.”

The International Fact Checking Network does great work. They say: “[IFCN] was launched in 2015 to bring together the growing community of fact-checkers around the world and advocates of factual information in the global fight against misinformation. We enable fact-checkers through networking, capacity building and collaboration. IFCN promotes the excellence of fact-checking to more than 100 organizations worldwide through advocacy, training and global events. Our team monitors trends in the fact-checking field to offer resources to fact-checkers, contribute to public discourse and provide support for new projects and initiatives that advance accountability in journalism.
We believe truth and transparency can help people be better informed and equipped to navigate harmful misinformation.”

Echo Chambers

Idea Labs and Echo Chambers – Tim Urban [USA] Wait But Why

Conspiracy Theories

Watch The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories, BuzzFeed. They say: “People are susceptible to conspiracy theories by nature, and periods of uncertainty and heightened anxiety increase that susceptibility.” 
An AI tool can distinguish between a conspiracy theory and a true conspiracy – it comes down to how easily the story falls apart, Timothy R. Tangherlini, The Conversation 
To combat conspiracy theories teach critical thinking – and community values, Thomas Roulet, The Conversation

Fake News

How to spot fake news online, Australian Government

See [Part 1 in this series] and the University of Washington iSchool, Calling Bullshit lecture Series (You Tube): 
The Spreading of Fake News
Fake News Definitions and Examples
The Ecology of Fake News
Sharing as Social Signalling

Stamping Out Fake NewsHow Fake Science Can Fool You (YouTube) Wisecrack. They say “Pseudoscience: It’s easy to mock it, and even easier to fall for it.”
Russell Brand especially in Russell Brand Blasts MSM Lies in Mindblowing Interview

Media Bias

MediaBias/Fact Check (MBFC) (USA) [FB Page] They say: “founded in 2015, is an independent online media outlet. MBFC is dedicated to educating the public on media bias and deceptive news practices. MBFC’s aim is to inspire action and a rejection of overtly biased media. We want to return to an era of straight forward news reporting.

*CHECK THIS OUT, love it.  Plug into their ‘search’ any media source WORLDWIDE for their bias rating: Left Wing – Right Wing and in between.
Search Australia and you get a comprehensive list of Australian media outlets and their bias rating. Their News Facts Networks claims “Verified Factual News from Media Bias Fact Check” NFN will only publish news summaries that are certified to be factual according to the editor of Media Bias Fact Check. While a source may be rated Mostly Factual by MBFC, we will ensure that the article is factual before publication. In the unlikely event that something is not factual or circumstances change we will immediately issue a correction.

See to RMIT/ABC Fact Check How large is Rupert Murdoch’s reach through News Corp in Australian media, old and new?

Ground News (Canada) (App) World’s first News Comparison Platform or Online. 
Watch how it works.

The Truth About Unbiased News (watch- You Tube) Wisecrack