Melinda Haughey (pronounced “hockey”) is a researcher and Ph.D. student with the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public.
She has spent the past three years studying online misinformation and disinformation with UW Professor Kate Starbird. Starting in 2019, Melinda began researching the emerging “misinformation beat” in journalism. She regularly works with journalists who report on the spread of problematic information online ,specifically looking for ways that academia can help them with collaborations and tools.
Prior to joining UW, Melinda earned a Chemical Engineering B.S. from Texas A&M University and began her career with the U.S. Intelligence community in Washington DC. She later gained experience as a management consultant, data visualization expert, and program manager with Accenture before deciding to pivot to mis-/disinformation studies after the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.
Here are Eric Ramsing’s meeting notes:
Tom Ranken called the meeting to order at 7:30am
- Pam Mushen recited words of wisdom
- Bob Swanson offered the Rotary Minutes, expressing how fortuitous it is that we live in a healthy Seattle.
- Hal Beals introduced Melinda Haughey from the University of Washington, speaking of problematic online information.
- Discussion of social media journalism and the challenges inherent with covering the new misinformation beat.
- Introduced to the club, the Center for an Informed Public centered at UW.
- Discussed misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories:
Misinformation = accidental presentation of incorrect information
Disinformation = presentation of incorrect information with the intent to mislead
- Key to determining (research) in exposing disinformation is determining the Source.
- Journalists work to debunk: researchers are intent on qualitative peer review
- Media Manipulation.
- Embeded in online groups intent to mis-direct.
- Journalist determination of when to Report/Publish (sequence of events)
- Tweet (or similar event) appears
- Research – True or False
- False date spread (how far is dispersal)?
- Platforms / data analysis (trustworthy or not)
- In the end; “get it wrong” and get accused of feeding “fake news”
Plays into the narrative “don’t trust the media”
- Discussion of current challenges
- Pam Mushen asked about the abolition of the Fairness Doctrine, eliminated during the Reagan Administration.
- Recommended reading: Snopes.com and Politifact.com
- Statement that intelligence communities are actively monitoring online sites
- Question: “When to take Action”?
- Many cannot differentiate between opinion and news (thanks FOX)
- Discussion of the movement of hard, peer-reviewed news from traditional outlets to “nonsource” media ie., Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Mention of Allsides.com.
- “Everyone is susceptible” but prime targets are the Right Wing and the Older Generation (targeted specifically for financial grift)
- Current lawsuits filed by Dominion may be beneficial in helping to shut down fake news.
- “De-platforming” (closing inputs known to be false) works but tends to push such inputs further underground, such as Parler, etc.
Meeting closed at 8:30 with much more to be said…..