With so many desperate for information regarding the recent devastation of the east coast resulting from Hurricane Sandy's wrath, media itself was, as per usual, desperate itself to provide that information not only first, but as dramatically as they could. False reports rushed in as quickly as the floods--some news outlets even reported that the Stock Exchange floor had been covered in three feet of water before doing any fact checking of their own. News channels and new media all used photoshopped and outright faked or unrelated images in their reporting of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy.
The question is this: have we as a society been so ready to accept information without first doing further research? How can media of this sort--whether journalism or advertisement--impact our actions as teachers and affect the way our students think?
Further information:
The Verge: Three Feet of Muck: How the Floor of the New York Stock Exchange Became a Troll Jackpot
The Verge: During Hurricane Sandy, Misinformation and Fact-checking Clash on Twitter
