Media Disinformation: Why it Matters and What to do About It

Disinformation is an ever-growing problem in our increasingly scattershot media landscape; one need look no further than the current presidential administration’s descriptions of what is taking place in Minneapolis right now compared to what we are seeing in the video evidence from residents and the news media. The League of Women Voters of Dane County is hosting a forum on Zoom to help explain the impact of disinformation on our civic fabric, consider what has caused its proliferation, and offer some tips on how to identify it.

media release: Join the League of Women Voters of Dane County (LWVDC) on Jan. 27 via Zoom, as they present a forum entitled, “Media Disinformation: Why it matters and what to do about it.”

A panel of three local three experts will discuss how disinformation impacts democracy, how changes in the media landscape magnifies disinformation and what you can do to minimize being influenced by disinformation. Moderator Carol Koby will facilitate the event.

Meet the Speakers

Mike Wagner, professor, Journalism and Mass Communication at the UW-Madison. He’ll define disinformation and its impact on our civic lives. 

Young Mie Kim, UW-Madison professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a faculty affiliate of the Department of Political Science. She’ll talk about factors that have fostered the growth of disinformation. 

Martín Alvarado, business & technology librarian for the Madison Public Library. He’ll discuss what individuals can do to identify disinformation.

The Zoom begins at 6:30 and participants can register at: bit.ly/4qSmSBw . Following the webinar, post discussion opportunities will be offered to attendees.

For more information about LWVDC, visit www.lwvdanecounty.org .