Fake News, Propaganda, and Plain Old Lies

April 2, 2018
Barclay, a deputy University Librarian at University of California, Merced, offers a slim guide on how to separate factual information from fake news. He offers basic methods for evaluating information, such as determining whether the source for a news story is identified, and whether a so-called expert has the relevant credentials to provide an informed opinion. There’s also a quick introduction to logical fallacies, with short definitions of concepts like confirmation bias and moral equivalence. The best parts of the book deal directly with web-related topics. His chapter on fake news provides a clear and succinct overview of the not-so-new phenomenon and the factors that have contributed to its recent proliferation (e.g., information overload, search engine optimization, and political bots). And his evaluation (and endorsement) of Wikipedia as a viable of information source is spot-on. Toward the end, the book shifts to more advanced topics (statistical models, scholarly information) that will be less useful to lay readers. Though Barclay intends this work for “anyone who cares about the trustworthiness of the information they encounter,” its scope will make it most useful as part of college coursework .

May 15, 2018
Fake news is as old as the world itself, but the digital age ensures that the spread of misinformation is quicker and more ubiquitous. As a librarian, Barclay has witnessed the explosion of information as it moved from print to the digital realm, and he guides readers to make better decisions about information that is credible and reliable. He covers some familiar ground with logical fallacies and techniques of persuasion and intimidation (what Barclay calls tricks of the trade ). The callout section on the Dunning-Kruger effect (inadvertently) explains much of what's happening in America's political climate; readers will find it chilling. Additionally helpful are chapters devoted to finding and evaluating scholarly information and a list of helpful resources?turns out there are a lot more options than just Snopes.com. Librarians may find this a useful resource, but it should be read by anyone who wants to better understand fake news and to better discern its presence and defend oneself against it. Barclay addresses this timely topic in a readable manner, free from jargon.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)