CAJ readies Misinfo 101 program
By Adnews Staff
The Toronto-based Canadian Association of Journalists has launched a new program called “Misinfo 101.” It will take the form of a national series of workships intended to train post-secondary students in the recogntion of misinformation and disinformation. The first session will take place on Jan. 20 in association with Seneca College of Toronto. The sessions will take place online while COVID-19 restrictions remain in place, then in person. Sessions will take place in 13 provinces and territories this year, hosted by local instructors for ProPublica, The University of King's College and CBC/Radio-Canada. The series is being sponsored by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority.
“This series of workshops is timely because the spread of misinformation is a global problem that has only been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CAJ president Brent Jolly. “Canadians must not lull themselves into a false sense of security that they are somehow immune from the ‘information disorder’ currently sweeping across the globe. We must continually remain vigilant, and a key part of doing so is ensuring our digital literacy skills are plugged into best practices.”