There's an insidious threat that seeks to divide the nation and undermine our faith in democracy — disinformation. Often called fake news today, disinformation is the spread of false information with the willful intent to deceive.
Scott Ruston, a research scientist with the Global Security Initiative at Arizona State University, studies why disinformation is believable and how it spreads. In the latest ASU KEDtalk here, he offers tips on how to identify and defend yourself against fake news.
Video by Knowledge Enterprise
Ruston's talk is part of the ASU KEDtalks series. Short for Knowledge Enterprise Development talks, KEDtalks aim to spark ideas, indulge curiosity and inspire action by highlighting ASU scientists, humanists, social scientists and artists who are driven to find solutions to the universe’s grandest challenges.
Tune in to research.asu.edu/kedtalks to discover how researchers are attacking locust plagues, why baby steps are not the best way to achieve change and more.
Top photo by Andy DeLisle/ASU
More Law, journalism and politics
When police moonlight, who’s watching?
When police officers work off-duty security jobs, or “moonlight,” often in uniform and sometimes with full police powers, the lines between public service and private interest can blur.A new…
Arizona tax changes this year: What to know
Let’s face it: Tax season is rarely anyone’s favorite time of year. And this time around, there’s an added wrinkle as Arizona’s tax code is in flux.Arizona lawmakers are debating which of the recent…
ASU course inspires students from different majors to engage with government
On a brisk January morning, about 50 students file into a classroom on Arizona State University's Downtown Phoenix campus. Many of the students are majoring in journalism or nursing but they are…