Don't get faked out by imitation news

Fake news comes in many forms. It may come from the relative who always dishes out the latest gossip, the misleading Internet article that discredits a research paper, or a Facebook post from what appears to be a reputable source.

Vetting information before sharing could save us from embarrassment or greater harm.

The first step to determining whether or not to believe what we are being told (which generally comes before deciding to share it) is to authenticate the source. How do we know what is trustworthy?

Since the fake news phenomenon is such a hot topic right now, I compiled a short list of some tips to authenticating information that I derived from several articles as well as life-lessons.

n First, ask yourself if it matters. Especially in the case of social media shares, an interesting post may not be worth sharing if it is merely amusing and potentially hazardous. TMI (too much information) is a real thing.

n Take a quick peak at the sponsor, author and URL. Is it a reputable public institution? What do you learn about them when you click on their link? Also worth noting are the sources that publish under a name similar to one you know and trust. Look closely.

n Look for a variety of quotes and citations from authentic sources. If there are few or none of these or the “experts” are not well known, you would do well to dig a little deeper. If an article contains links to the original sources of the quotes and citations, check them.

n Know the difference between an advertisement and unbiased information. Some-times the links mentioned above lead to a solicitation rather than an authentic information source. Follow the links before forwarding.

n Check around to see if any other reputable news sources are reporting on the topic.

As adults, we may be alerted to something that indicates a red flag for us. Yet, many of us might be surprised at how often we share or retweet questionable content. Younger ones can fall prey to fake news even more. A recent study reported by NPR showed that more than 80 percent of middle schoolers believed that “sponsored content” was a real news story. That same study, conducted by the Stanford Graduate School of Education, found that many high school students could not tell the difference between a real and fake news source on Facebook.

Although sources of information abound in this rapidly changing information age, parents, teachers and caregivers are realizing the need to enlist librarians to guide students in their process of learning to research. Search engine optimization is no substitute for a librarian. Library staff at the East Bonner County Library District are highly skilled at research and customer service. How thankful we can be that the library is not just a warehouse or search engine of random information that leaves us to navigate through fake news on our own.

All of the following classes and events take place at the Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St., unless otherwise noted.

• Saturday, Dec. 17 — Computer class on Microsoft Word basics, 8:15 a.m. sharp. Learn the basics of Microsoft Word, including toolbars, formatting and highlighting. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Information: 263-6930.

• Saturday, Dec. 17 — Bella Note performance and class, 10 a.m. Join Bella Note teachers for a holiday performance and participation class for young children. Call Suzanne Davis for details 263-6930, ext. 1211.

• Monday, Dec. 19 — Dover Christmas StoryWalk, 9 a.m.-noon. Meet area veterans, children from Farmin and Washington elementary schools along with other members of our community as we celebrate the dedication of the new permanent StoryWalk location at Dover City Park. For more information visit ebonnerlibrary.org.

• Monday, Dec. 19 — Free family movie, “Elf”, 3 p.m. Join your friends at the library for a kid-friendly holiday movie. Contact Suzanne for more information 263-6030, ext. 1211.

• Monday, Dec. 19 — Night Sky, 6:30 p.m. Astronomy viewing program for families at Great Northern Park. This is a weather dependent program and subject to cancellation. Contact Suzanne at suzanne@ebonnerlibrary.org or 263-6930, ext. 1211, for additional details.

• Tuesday, Dec. 20 — Mother Goose Reading and Singing, 10:15 a.m.; for ages 0-3.

• Tuesday, Dec. 20 — Preschool Story Time, 11 a.m.; for ages 2-5.

• Tuesday, Dec. 20 — Make It at the Library, 3 p.m.; Makerspace activities for kids including robotics, Arduinos, Legos and fiber arts.

• Tuesday, Dec. 20 — Robotics with Lego Mindstorm, 3 p.m.; for ages 8 and older. Event held at the Clark Fork Library.

• Wednesday, Dec. 21 — Clark Fork Stories and More. 10:30 AM. Stories, crafts, prizes and snacks for kids ages 3-8. Clark Fork Library.

• Wednesday, Dec. 21 — Make It at the Clark Fork Library, 2 p.m. Kids make age-appropriate crafts at the Clark Fork Library.

• Wednesday, Dec. 21 — Lego Club, 2 p.m. Create with open Lego play for kids of all ages.

• Thursday, Dec. 22 — Clark Fork Crafternoon, create candy cane mice; 3 p.m. Make cute candy cane critters to take home! Free family fun at the Clark Fork Library.

• Friday, Dec. 23 — Teen Writers Club canceled for the holidays. Back again on Jan. 13.

• Saturday, Dec. 24 — Closed; Christmas Eve.

• Monday, Dec. 26 — Closed; Christmas holiday observed.