Study on truth and misinformation

A survey of leading technologists and social scientists about their outlook on the future of online information. Experts are evenly split on whether the coming decade will see a reduction in false and misleading narratives online. Those forecasting improvement place their hopes in technological fixes and in societal solutions. Others think the dark side of human nature is aided more than stifled by technology. Five themes emerged:

• The information environment will not improve: The problem is human nature.
• The information environment will not improve because technology will create new challenges that can’t or won’t be countered effectively and at scale.
• The information environment will improve because technology will help label, filter or ban misinformation and thus upgrade the public’s ability to judge the quality and veracity of content.
• The information environment will improve, because people will adjust and make things better.
• Tech can’t win the battle. The public must fund and support the production of objective, accurate information. It must also elevate information literacy to be a primary goal of education

Anderson, J., & Rainie, L. (2017). The future of truth and misinformation online. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.
http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/10/19/the-future-of-truth-and-misinformation-online/

Children's media use report

A sampling survey found that 95% of households with children age 8 and younger had a cell phone, and other electronic devices were also common. These children tend to spend more than two hours daily with media. The digital divide has lessened. The amount of reading has remained steady, but many parents to not read to their children age 2 and younger. These an other findings point out the need for media literacy.
Common Sense. (2017). The Common Sense survey: Media use by kids age zero to eight. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/the-common-sense-census-media-use-by-kids-age-zero-to-eight-2017

Avid readers research

Understanding how social influences can foster avid book reader identification is a key research goal that warrants further investigation beyond a limited early years lens. The author’s international study explored the influence positive social agents can have on avid book readers. Early influences were examined, with data suggesting that maternal instruction is the most prevalent source of early reading teaching. Indirect avid reader influence, author influence, fostering access, shared social habit, reading for approval, recommendations and supporting choice, and exposure to reading aloud were recurring mechanisms of influence. The multiple mechanisms of influence identified constitute opportunities for engagement and subsequent intervention by literacy advocates, including librarians.

Merga, M. (2017). Becoming a reader: Significant social influences on avid book readers. School Library Research, 20.

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol20/SLR_BecomingaReader_V20.pdf