Fake News

December 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-A much-needed book for today's youth. Miller educates readers about two types of fake news-and how to tell the difference between them and how to take action against them. Fake news is defined by Miller as the abundance of websites and other media containing partially and completely fictitious stories often shared through social media, and also as the trend of powerful people labeling stories that cast them in a negative light as "fake news" despite its veracity. While the text of this title is written with young people in mind, the large blocks of text, sporadic use of photos, and the social media examples showcased (Facebook and Twitter, rather than, say, Instagram), resemble a textbook more than a title that teens might read for personal fulfillment. Still, there aren't many contemporary books for this age group on this important subject. VERDICT A useful addition to classroom and large public libraries.-Ariel Birdoff, New York Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2018
What is fake news and how can we recognize it? In a well-timed survey for teen readers, Miller (My iPad for Seniors, 2017, etc.) sets his introduction firmly in the present, opening with an example of President Donald Trump's quoting of a false National Enquirer story. The author describes how legitimate news is collected and disseminated. He discusses the history of the fake news phenomenon and explains the importance of a free press. He explains bias in news sources and defines what various political labels mean in terms of ideology. Citing authoritative sources, he states that fake news is more often believed and spread by people who are politically conservative. His examples of fake or biased reports include conspiracy theories and controversies about former President Barack Obama's birthplace, vaccinations, the 9/11 attack, the Kennedy assassination, airplane contrails, Russian interference in the 2016 election, and climate change, among others. He concludes with advice for identifying bias in news sources and offers two short lists of sources indicating the nature of their political bias and their degree of authority. He gives suggestions for combating fake news, including how best to persuade others. Informative chapter titles and subheadings make the organization clear, and excellent backmatter will encourage further exploration. Readers may find the exposition dry, but the paragraphs are broken up with color photographs and text boxes, and this subject is timely and important.A must-have for libraries serving teens. (source notes, glossary, bibliography, further information, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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December 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 This book defines fake news, describes its insidious power, and provides relevant and accessible examples. The text differentiates deliberately fake news from other means of expression, such as editorials, opinions, and propaganda, and identifies populations that are most susceptible to fake news and conspiracy theories, suggesting reasons why some individuals are so ready to accept preposterous-seeming claims and repost them as fact. The final two chapters discuss ways to spot fake news and stop its spread. The text also assesses major news outlets' impartiality in charts, sorting sources by bias and ranking how likely they are to give fact-based versus misleading information. Two pages of source notes, a glossary, and a bibliography round out the offering. The text is accessible and assumes no previous knowledge, explaining scenarios in context. One possible area of concern: Donald Trump's name is evoked in connection with fake news in at least 10 separate incidents; other examples include Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)