Misinformation Vaccination and Testing Tools

It is time for a reminder from your friendly trustworthy librarians to all of our users. Use the tools at your disposal. Here’s a start:

How To Identify and Avoid Spreading Misinformation, Myths, and Urban Legends on the Internet [Mythbusting]
via Lifehacker by Adam Pash on 3/05/11

Step One: If It Walks Like a Duck
[If you smell smoke, spam, or get that creepy feeling in the nape of your neck…]
Step Two: Do Your Research
Turn to Snopes
Searching Google (or, you know, other search engines)
Step Three: Don’t Hit Send
Step Four: Absolution

Sources:

Snopes: Urban Legends Reference Pages
http://www.snopes.com/

How Urban Legends Work (How Stuff Works)
http://www.howstuffworks.com/urban-legend.htm

Tie it to issues of identity theft, phishing scams, and viruses and malware of every type.

Recommend a good phishing, spam and virus checker.

Add your sources and sites below in the comments for all to share, use and borrow.

Has anyone seen a great infographic that could be posted in libraries?

Librarian Army . . . Engage!

Stephen

p.s. Please don’t click on silly things and viral apps in your Facebook wall and send it to all your FB friends. We don’t care who is looking at our Facebook page, I don’t want to how I’ll age (I look in the mirror!), and the bin Laden stuff is gross. Not cool and very embarassing. Bad people are everywhere now and librarians can help.