Media Literacy

essay

Improving Media Literacy in Middle School

Middle schoolers can be savvy users of news and information—when they know where to look. But they're also easy marks for misinformation, disinformation, and trolls. Helping them find their way in today's media landscape is important both for their futures and for the future of democracy.

commentary

Facebook Misinformation Is Bad Enough. The Metaverse Will Be Worse

Virtual reality environments such as the metaverse will enable psychological and emotional manipulation of users at a level unimaginable in today's media. We must not wait until these technologies are fully realized to consider appropriate guardrails for them. We can reap the benefits of the metaverse while minimizing its potential for great harm.

Rand Waltzman

commentary

Combating Abortion Misinformation in the Post-Roe Environment

Misinformation could become a major barrier to individuals trying to navigate their way to safe, legal, and quality reproductive care. What might states, health insurers, and technology companies do to address this issue?

Julia Rollison @Julia_Rollison

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Gun Policy, China and Taiwan, Russian Propaganda: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on reducing America's unacceptably high rates of gun violence, what would happen if China “quarantines” Taiwan, and Russia's “firehose of falsehood.”

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Combating Disinformation by Bolstering Truth and Trust

For Jessica Cecil, founder and former head of the Trusted News Initiative, today feels a bit like the Dark Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire, in which agreed-upon facts endure in only a few isolated places of elite discussion and there is no common language of politics. She spoke about the need for governments, companies, news organizations, and relevant civil society groups to work together to combat disinformation at a meeting of RAND Europe's Council of Advisors.

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Russia Will Struggle to Sustain Its Disinformation Machine, Former New York Times/BBC Chief Tells RAND Europe

As former head of the New York Times and the BBC, Mark Thompson has tackled disinformation on both sides of the Atlantic. One of his big takeaways: It's not as easy as you might think to sustain a successful disinformation campaign.

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Extremism Online, Russia's Military, Preventing Police Killings: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the internet's role in stoking extremism and hate, how Russia has failed its military personnel, a research roadmap to help prevent police killings in the United States, and more.

commentary

'Truth Decay' in Europe Is Real, but Its Advance Can Be Slowed

Though present in Europe, the evidence suggests that trends of Truth Decay are not as widespread or as pronounced as they are in the United States. There is still time for policymakers to intervene and limit their growth.

Axelle Devaux, Stijn Hoorens @StijnHoorens

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Truth Decay, School Lunch Nutrition, Regulating Space: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on tackling Truth Decay, how tech experts view the military's use of artificial intelligence, a new approach to regulating outer space, and more.

essay

How to Avoid Extremism on Social Media

Extremist groups have been trolling the internet for decades, and they have learned to temper their words and disguise their intentions. A new scorecard can help users—or parents, or advertisers, or the social media companies themselves—understand when they might be interacting with extremist content.

q&a

Truth Decay Is a Threat to Democracy. Here’s What You Can Do to Help Stop It

Truth Decay, the diminishing role of facts in American public life, isn't a problem that any one person can fix. But there are simple steps that individuals can take to help counter it.

commentary

Protecting the Elderly from Financial Exploitation

Older adults are more vulnerable to scams and more likely to have money and assets than their younger counterparts of the same race/ethnicity. Policy solutions that provide protection against financial fraud could help older adults to live more financially stable lives.

Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman, Sierra Smucker

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China-Pakistan Partnership, Media Literacy, Incarcerated Parents: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the China-Pakistan partnership in light of the Taliban's rise to power, media literacy education, parenting from prison, and more.

blog

Media Literacy, Internet of Bodies, Arctic Governance: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on teaching media literacy in schools, a “connected future” via the Internet of Bodies, gaps in Arctic governance, and more.

commentary

When a Free Trial Is Anything But

Several strategies could help protect consumers from subscription traps. Strategies could include providing better information showing that a free trial is followed by a subscription, reminding consumers that they have a subscription, and allowing consumers to easily cancel.

Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman