Speaker Joseph Assalone has 45 years of experience as a CPA and recently retired from his position as adjunct professor of taxation at Rowan College of South Jersey.
The township library addressed the issue of online misinformation and how to be more aware of it by hosting an AARP Community Conversation on Oct. 16 entitled, “Tips for Being News Savvy Online.”
The speaker was Joseph Assalone, who has 45 years of experience as a CPA and recently retired from his position as adjunct professor of taxation at Rowan College of South Jersey. Much of his career has focused on “professional skepticism,” a skill that separates fact, fiction and opinion online.
Assalone began his presentation by offering attendees pamphlets on how to tell if something online is truthful or not. He then discussed fake news – including satire and parody, propaganda and deep fakes – and how social media helps spread it.
“Now, social media has done a revolutionary thing in making news available to us that could come from anybody,” he acknowledged. “But it’s not even well-known sources anymore. Anybody can get on and spread all kinds of craziness.”
A video Assalone showed from FactCheck.org explained how one can evaluate a source’s credibility, offering tips like reading past a headline before sharing a news story, double checking information with secondary sources and using fact-checking websites.
Assalone also described “post- truth,” when objective fact is less influential than emotional appeals in public opinion.
“There is, in society now, an increasing tolerance for BS,” observed audience member Cary Hillebrand. “An alternative fact means if you don’t like what the news is presenting, courtesy of Google, you can find whatever echo chamber fits off what you want to hear.”
In addition to information that is untrue, Assalone also discussed the various ways reputable news outlets can still skew stories, through word choice, the decision to omit certain details, the author’s personal bias, spin or slant.
Participants were encouraged to consider their own biases when evaluating information, namely accepting something just because it validates a particular viewpoint. An information outlet’s own biases are also an issue.
Deepfakes, images and videos created through AI – as well as doctored images – were illustrated by the TikTok video of a man who creates deepfakes of himself as actor Tom Cruise. Examples of AI power and influence were also addressed.
“There are events in human civilization which actually change civilization,” Assalone explained. “The fall of the Roman Empire, the end of World War II, the Industrial Revolution, the internet. AI is in that same category, and it is going to change every single thing.”
Assalone also showed the audience how to report false information on sites like Facebook and how to use fact checking websites like Snopes, FactCheck.org and Politifact. The group also talked about how divisive the news landscape has become, with Assalone mentioning that politicians seem to be more willing to say things they wouldn’t have in past decades.
“I think that’s the difference in the politicians now than maybe 20 to 30 years ago,” he observed. “They were guarded about what they said because they knew that they were in a position of power, and your words are going to do tremendous harm.
“They don’t care. They don’t seem to care now.”
