I found the article and thought others might like to read it too:
Hate and Deception on the Web
What's a School Library Media Specialist to Do?
Frances Jacobson Harris
What could be more upsetting than finding out that the site at URL =
<www.martinlutherking.org> is actually a hate site operated by white =
supremacists? How about finding a link to it posted by a middle school =
teacher who assumes the site is a valid source of information about =
King?
Each semester, I show this site to my eighth-grade computer literacy =
class. We only look at a few screens, enough for students to get the =
general idea. I want them to understand that ".org" is not a guarantee =
of legitimacy. But the real punchline of the lesson comes when I show =
the students sites that link to martinlutherking.org without realizing =
its true nature. These well-intentioned linkers are K-12 teachers, =
college students, television stations commemorating the King holiday, =
support groups for persons of color, and tourist site operators. Their =
failure to assess this Web site makes a deep impression on my students, =
much more than my lectures on the importance of Web site evaluation. =
They never look at Web information in quite the same way again.
How do I find these linking sites? Many search engines allow link checks =
by typing "link:" in the search box followed by the URL (for example, =
link:martinlutherking.org). The majority of links to =
<www.martinlutherking.org> are from librarians and educators who are =
teaching Web site evaluation skills. A minority of the linking sites are =
like-minded hate sites. The third category includes well-meaning =
individuals who do not understand what they are linking to.
After my class presentation, I send out a boilerplate e-mail message to =
the latter group suggesting that they reexamine the site. Most remove =
the link. But by the time the next semester rolls around, I find a whole =
new batch of unsuspecting linkers. Unfortunately, it looks as though I =
will have fresh examples for my lesson for the foreseeable future.
We have a responsibility to prepare our students for exposure to such =
misinformation. However, first we must educate ourselves by becoming =
familiar with the extent and tactics of such extremist groups. The =
Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Hate on the World Wide Web page =
<www.adl.org/special_reports/hate_on_www/hate_on_www.asp> provides a =
succinct yet powerful overview of how hate has permeated the Web. The =
main ADL site <www.adl.org> contains other useful resources, such as a =
hate symbols database.
Another Web site, Tolerance.org, a project of the Southern Poverty Law =
Center, also has a guide to hate on the Internet =
<www.tolerance.org/hate_internet>. It offers a guided explication of =
four hate sites, pointing out the ways in which propaganda and =
psychological manipulation are employed. Investigate sites such as the =
National Alliance or David Duke's European-American Unity and Rights =
Organization in order to learn to identify the tactics used to disguise =
intentions and mislead viewers.
In the school setting, we can control the damage from online hate in two =
ways: by limiting access and by implementing educational interventions. =
Controlling access includes such options as using filtering software, =
developing Web access policies and procedures, and creating computer use =
agreements. Each of these has benefits as well as pitfalls. Filters may =
block a site such as <www.martinlutherking.org> but allow access to =
Arthur Butz's notorious Holocaust revisionist site =
<http://pubweb.nwu.edu/~abutz/di/intro.html>, hosted on the Northwestern =
University domain. The acceptable use agreement that a student signed at =
the beginning of the year is forgotten when the student comes to the =
media center in February.
On the other hand, explicit teaching engages students in critical =
thinking about a topic that is generally avoided both at school and at =
home. We cannot guarantee that such directed efforts will effectively =
inoculate students against the influence of online hate. At my workshop =
you will learn how to teach analysis strategies that will help students =
become aware and beware of hate and prejudice on the Web.
Frances Jacobson Harris is a Librarian at University Laboratory High =
School, Urbana, Ill.
=A92003 Frances Jacobson Harris
Gail Borio
CAK High School
gaborio@esper.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archive: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
LM_NET Select/EL-Announce: http://www.cuenet.com/archive/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ven.html
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-
LM_NET
Mailing List Home