Skip to main content

Misinformation: Why It Exists—And How To Stop It

This program is over. Hope you didn't miss it!

Misinformation: Why It Exists—And How To Stop It

Evening Lecture/Seminar

Monday, June 21, 2021 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET
Code: 1H0596
Location:
This program is part of our
Smithsonian Associates Streaming series.
Select your Registration
$20
Member
$25
Non-Member
Powered by Zoom

Conspiracy theories have been part of our culture for centuries, dating back to the American Revolution. But it wasn’t until the 2016 Presidential election that Americans began to see how the internet could gin up a toxic stew of misinformation powerful enough to drive public opinion and elect a president. Today, algorithms control our news feeds and encourage emotional thinking. Conspiracy theories that were once relegated to fanzines are now heard even on the floors of Congress.

Despite the wealth of resources that have been devoted to halt their dissemination, fake news, misinformation, and disinformation campaigns continue to attack democratic elections and unravel our social fabric. Banning liars and propagandists from Twitter and removing toxic websites won’t make the problem go away.

The Reboot Foundation—which promotes critical thinking through research—and others have found that education must play a primary role in tackling this problem. Despite calls for more media-literacy education, research shows that more than a third of American middle school students have had little or no instruction in how to identify a reliable website.

Helen Lee Bouygues, president of the Reboot Foundation, discusses how to identify and combat fake news. She explains how society can balance free speech and new technologies, why people choose to reject or confirm information that competes with their worldview, and how media consumers can better resist becoming a victim of misinformation.

Patron Information

  • If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
  • Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
  • Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
  • Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
  • View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.