Climate Change in the Era of Fake News

DIY

DIY #3 Climate Change in the Era of Fake News

Despite the plethora of evidence that suggests the cause of climate change is very likely man-made, E360 Digest noted only a small majority of the public, around fifty-eight percent, believes this to be true. On the other hand, The Guardian reported that 97% of scientists attribute climate change to anthropogenic, man-made, forces. If the majority of scientific consensus is that climate change is due to anthropogenic forces, then why does a significantly small majority of the public believe the consensus is true? The reason a percentage of the public still denies that climate change is man-made can be attributed to fake news and disinformation in today’s media ecosystem.

Our current media ecosystem fosters a participatory culture in which all members of society are encouraged to participate. While this ecosystem can be beneficial in representing diverse perspectives, a problem arises in this participatory culture when scientific findings are falsified or rejected, causing disinformation to spread in the media ecosystem. On the topic of climate change, there is far too much data and evidence to refute the effects of greenhouse gases and fossil fuels, but with disinformation tactics climate change deniers have swayed public opinion on the issue. Climate change deniers make use of social platforms like Twitter and Facebook to deceive the public about the true causes and effects of climate change. The media system is an extremely powerful weapon for climate change deniers, even for President Donald Trump.

President Trump has refuted the scientific findings of climate change for years and has continued to refute new scientific findings. According to BBC, The Fourth National Climate Assessment found that climate change will cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars and will damage the health of American citizens. Despite the fact that these were the findings of his own administration, President Trump was quoted saying he does not believe the report. President Trump’s abundance of media coverage denying climate change has a direct influence on public opinion of climate change. According to Claire Wardle, “The ecosystem is now so polluted, we have to take responsibility for independently checking what we see online.” Specifically, Wardle’s insight reminds us that we can not blindly accept a “scientific journal” or even the President’s opinions on issues as important as climate change. We must be informed citizens that conduct our own research to truly understand the effects of anthropogenic climate change.

The reality of the situation is climate change is affecting our planet now and human activity is changing the natural fluctuations in temperature. Climate change is a time sensitive issue, which is why I decided to focus my DIY #3 remix on the disinformation tactics that have misinformed the public. In addition, I made sure to provide the real scientific consensus about the effects of anthropogenic global warming in my remix video. Globally, people need to be aware of the causes and effects of anthropogenic climate change so that we can take action to clean up the mess we have made.

Works Cited: Remix

CNN Photographs of Climate Change

Ted Talk Climate Change

97% of Scientists video

MSNBC Footage

CBSN Climate Report Coverage

The Guardian footage of Trump Refuting Report

National Geographic Causes and Effects of Climate Change

Victims are Never at Fault

DIY

Sexual assault is a prevalent issue that has plagued society for far too long. Many people are directly affected by sexual assault whether they are children, teenagers or grown adults. As a college student, I focused my research on sexual assault on college campuses. Sexual assault on college campuses is a topic that needs more attention from the media, universities, and law enforcement to implement change.

I selected data points about how many women and men are sexually assaulted in college because men are often neglected from the narrative of sexual assault. A majority of the time, men are not mentioned as victims of sexual assault in media due to stereotypes and preconceived notions. The Fair Guidelines to Evaluating Bias claim media should, “Educate journalists about misconceptions involved in stereotypes, and about how stereotypes characterize individuals unfairly.” These stereotypes result in perspectives, like male victims, to be unrepresented. While a larger percentage of women in college are sexually assaulted compared to men, that doesn’t mean men should be removed from the conversation. I selected the graphics of men and women to highlight the difference in the percentage of men and women sexually assaulted.

In addition, I included the statistic from the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence that 8 out of 10 victims know the perpetrator. It makes you realize that victims likely see their assaulters, which heightens trauma. Victims deal with this trauma in different ways but I highlighted the 81% of women and 35% of men that report impacts such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

One of the biggest issues in regards to sexual assault is the percentage of victims who do not report the abuse. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, “More than 90% of sexual assault victims on college campuses do not report the assault.” The percentage of victims on college campuses that do not report the assault is much larger than assault that is reported to police. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center claims that in general 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police compared to the 90% of victims on college campuses that don’t report. I found this statistic to be shocking, which is why I selected a graphic representation of 90% to make sure it stood out to the consumer the same way the statistic stood out to me. Our society has encouraged rape culture and victim blaming, and as a result, 90% of victims on college campuses do not report the assault. In turn, no justice is served and the perpetrators continue to assault others, contributing to an endless cycle of injustice. The injustice of sexual assault must come to an end, which is why I used the color blue as the background for my infographic because it is the color that represents sexual assault awareness. We need to raise more awareness for sexual assault on college campuses and remind everyone that the victim is never at fault.

Misplaced in the Media

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Who am I? I found it difficult to ask myself such a simple question as most young adults are unsure of how to identify themselves. Clearly, I am an eighteen year old female, but that is merely the surface of who I am. While some aspects of my identity are represented in the media, others are not. Significant aspects of my identity are misplaced in media. I find it difficult to assess whether or not I feel represented as an individual in media and news because I have found my identity is unique from others.

To most people, I appear to be fully white; however that is not my ethnicity, I am also half Cuban. My father moved to the United States from Cuba when he was very young, was a first generation college student, and worked very hard to be where he is today. I am very proud of my ethnicity and it shapes my identity. When I tell others that I am Cuban it comes as a shock to them because I “don’t look Cuban enough.” It is frustrating when such an important aspect of my identity is disregarded or questioned because I don’t fit the cookie cutter mold that people expect. This cookie cutter mold is shaped and cultivated by the limited representation of Cuban people in news and media.

I am half white and that part of me is always represented in the media. I am also half Cuban but that part of my identity is rarely represented in the media. How do I decide whether I feel represented or not when half of my identity is always represented and the other half is not? As I grapple with how to answer this question, I have thought about whether I identify more as white or Cuban. I can not reach a conclusion because I shouldn’t have to choose just one part of my identity. I am uniquely me and should never need to decide between the different parts of my background. I do recognize that the white part of my background has always been more represented in American media. I also recognize that there is not enough representation of my Cuban background. I am proud of my identity as a woman who is both white and Cuban, I will never see one part of my background as more important because both make me the person I am today.

The juxtaposition of my identity was reflected in a Los Angeles Times article by Tre’vell Anderson. According to Anderson, “White women gained some ground in film criticism… But other marginalized groups — particularly men and women of color — struggled to gain any access.” I feel torn because most people see me as a white woman, which grants me more opportunities; however I am proud to be Cuban and want to represent women of color. Society categorizes people and does not give us an opportunity to explain who we truly are or what makes up our identity. As someone who is white and Cuban, I don’t ever want to be categorized as one or the other. My race and ethnicity make me who I am and give me a unique perspective that I want to express. My identity is partly represented in media and news, so it is hard to find authentic representations of my entire identity. Media and news should consult more diverse perspectives from people of color. All people should be given a voice and have representation in media and news.

The other part of my identity, which is very important to me, is that I am a woman. As a woman studying journalism, I have noticed that the majority of journalists and editors are men. I don’t feel that enough women are represented or recognized as journalists, despite the fact that so many women pursue an education in journalism and have the same credentials as men. I aspire to be a journalist and hope that one day more women will be appreciated for their unique perspectives in journalism. There needs to be more female representation and perspectives in the newsroom. The women who are currently recognized in the newsroom are very authentic and I feel as though I can identify with those women. The future is female and I aspire to be a part of that future in the newsroom.

I Still Have a Dream

DIY

To this day, our society is plagued by discrimination and racism. I selected the iconic image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington in 1963. In the original image 250,000 people gathered to advocate for civil and economic equality for African Americans. I chose to replace the background of the iconic image from the March on Washington with a photo of a Black Lives Matter Protest from 2014 (ABC News). I chose to change the background to a more recent protest to illustrate the inequalities and injustices African Americans still face to this day. I used Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as my iconic image in the new image to demonstrate that if Dr. King were alive today he would still be advocating for African Americans and protesting racism & discrimination in America. In addition, I added to the sign “Black Lives Matter” with “I Still Have a Dream” to commemorate and re-contextualize Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech from the March on Washington. Again, further emphasizing the idea that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would protest racism and discrimination alongside the people today. All together, the changes I made to the original iconic image are meant to make people realize that racism and discrimination are still prevalent in our society despite the many efforts of activists and advocates, like Dr. King, who have fought to eliminate injustices and promote equality in America. Our society has made improvements but has not taken the strides necessary to truly achieve equality or to create a society in which racism and discrimination no longer exist. If Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, he would still have a dream for equality in America.

Original iconic image

New background image

Additional sign I created

Final Product

Nice Nails, Nice Coverage

Blog Posts

The New York Times published an exposé by Sarah Maslin Nir called The Price of Nice Nails. Nir tackled the unaddressed issue of underpaid employees in the nail industry, by directly interviewing exploited workers who are not typically given a voice. I conducted the SMELL Test to assess the credibility of Nir’s article.

The source can be attributed to The New York Times because they published the exposition and the journalist who wrote it was Sarah Maslin Nir. Originally a freelance journalist in London for national and international publications, Nir has been a staff reporter at The New York Times since 2011. In assessing the credibility of the source, Nir, I utilized the PIE Test. Nir had no direct connections to the nail salon industry she was reporting on, so her proximity was far enough away. Free from conflict of interest, Nir has no conflicts that would interfere with her report and independence. Nir’s lived experience in the field of journalism covered a wide range of topics from breaking news to night life in New York; therefore, Nir has a wide range of expertise as a journalist. Considering the PIE Test, I have determined Sarah Maslin Nir to be a credible source.

The motive for Nir writing the exposé was to shed light on the exploitation of laborers in the nail industry. Nir conducted the investigation for an entire year, devoting her work to uncovering the truth about the exploitation of laborers in the nail industry. Nir’s motivation was uncovering the truth which was a selfless act since she personally had nothing to gain from the exposé. The purpose of the message was to reveal the truth about New York City’s nail industry.

The evidence of the exploitation is in the form of quotes from employees obtained in interviews. “The New York Times interviewed more than 150 nail salon workers and owners, in four languages,” to compile evidence. The quotes are attributed to people who work in the nail industry and the hardships they have endured due to the unjust working conditions. Additionally, the evidence is drawn from other sources about minimum wage and court cases in regards to the nail industry’s exploitative labor practices. The evidence provided was collected over the course of an entire year, which displays Nir’s attention to detail and commitment to uncovering the truth.

The information collected and reported by Nir is logical and makes sense because she provides sufficient evidence. All of the quotes and personal stories from those who work in the nail industry contribute to the logical flow of Nir’s exposé. The angle through which Nir covered the story made it logical and easy for the reader to comprehend. The evidence is a key factor because it all supports Nir’s conclusions about the nail industry and logically explains the injustices laborers face.

After conducting further research about the nail industry I could not find anything that Nir left out of her report. Nir even went on to write about the health hazards of the nail salon industry to elaborate on her argument that nail salon workers face horrible conditions. The interviews Nir conducted ensured she did not leave anything out as she interviewed both the workers and owners of nail salons to hear multiple sides of the story. Nir conducted extensive research and interviews to ensure she was not leaving anything out of her report.

Sarah Maslin Nir collected extensive evidence from minorities who are typically underrepresented. The year long investigation was thoroughly conducted and carefully researched to make an informed conclusion about the nail industry. Based on my findings, The New York Times article The Price of Nice Nails is very credible. Sarah Maslin Nir and The New York Times published a detailed, hard hitting exposé that revealed the truth about New York City’s nail industry.

Meaningful Media

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It’s no surprise that media consumption has increased as people log into their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram on daily basis. Media is a significant aspect of our everyday lives whether we are sharing memes with our friends or reading a news post on Twitter.

While recording my personal media consumption habits I came to question if the media I am consuming is meaningful; by “meaningful” I am referring to content that’s significant to myself and others. Whether media is considered meaningful depends on the user and the audience the user engages with. For instance, when I send my friends a photo as I walk to class on Snapchat I am updating them on my day. While my subpar photograph is not significant to the entire world, the “audience” I am sharing it with engages with the content; so I consider it meaningful media.

I found on a daily basis I consume most of my media from specific apps including Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, the iPhone News App, and Spotify. I concluded I tend to use the more social applications, such as Instagram, Spotify and Snapchat, when I am sharing media content with friends. Alternatively, when I use applications like the iPhone News App and Twitter I tend to look for more news articles and publications of interest to me.

On Instagram and Snapchat I am able to share content and media that is meaningful to the people I communicate with in my everyday life. According to the Pew Research Center, “a majority of Snapchat (63%) and Instagram (60%) users indicate that they visit these platforms on a daily basis.” http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/ I noted that I engaged with these social media platforms multiple times throughout the day because communicating and connecting with others is meaningful to me. Whether I am commenting on my friends post about their latest achievement or just sending a funny photo, I am engaging and sharing media that is meaningful to my “audience” and myself.

When I consume media on the iPhone News App, I tend to consume informative content. For example, when I refreshed the iPhone News App I first read an article from the New York Times about the effects of the government shutdown. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/18/business/economy/government-shutdown-polls-economy.html The news I consume is meaningful media because it is informative and significant to many people. However, I did take note that that the articles I engaged with were all of personal interest to me. This is consequential because I should be consuming multiple articles to be an informed citizen and have conversations about significant issues.

Overall, media consumption habits have positive and negative effects depending on the user’s daily interaction with certain platforms. Media is so powerful because we always have content right at our fingertips. We have to take advantage of the opportunity to consume meaningful media and share it with others to positively contribute to the media landscape.

s19-media-consumption-log-2

About

Welcome to Life in La La Land! My name is Jillian Carmenate and I am a Freshman studying Journalism at the University of Southern California. I was born and raised in Pasadena, CA. After high school, I packed up and moved to LA to attend the school of my dreams and pursue my passion of writing. The purpose of my website is to inspire and inform people who are also stepping outside of their comfort zone. Life in La La Land will help others to learn from my experiences as I navigate college, Los Angeles, and life. Here are some links to influencers that inspire me:

Jessica Slaughter- College Lifestyle Blog

National Geographic Travel

Aspyn Ovard- Lifestyle Blog

Dan Flying Solo- Travel Blog

The Blonde Abroad- Travel Blog

News sources I frequently follow