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And why you should delete those junk emails.
“People increasingly need to understand how technology works, how information spreads in this environment, and how they can verify whether a piece of information is true.”
– Nina Santos, Brazil’s Deputy Secretary of the Secretariat for Digital Policies of the Presidency of the Republic
Dear Reader,
We all likely know someone who’s been caught up in an orchestrated fraud, including Father Dot, who almost fell prey to the “grandparent scam.” And I recently responded to a reader who queried what’s become a popular misinformation talking point (a subtler scam, but still a scam!): “Are EVs worse for the environment than gas-powered cars?” (Short answer: No. Long answer coming next week.)
Thanks to the internet, mis- and disinformation is easier than ever to disseminate. And to many, it can be hard to discern whether the source of the info is to be trusted. But in 2024, Brazil, together with the UN, decided to push back, launching the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change with a simple but ambitious goal: strengthen public trust in science by funding fact-checking, media-literacy programs, and research to counter organized climate-denial campaigns.
It’s a bold initiative and one that, Dot hopes, other countries (besides Chile, Denmark, France, Morocco, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, who have already joined) will sign on to.
In the meantime, we can take steps to confirm the veracity of the information we read, especially before passing it on, by using the SIFT method: (Stop to consider what we’re reading/hearing; Investigate the source; Find better coverage; Trace the information to its original source. The BBC offers more tips on how to spot and combat misinformation.
Accurately,
Dot
By cleaning out your inbox and deleting unwanted emails, you can reduce your digital carbon footprint. And with Ecosia, you can plant a tree each time you log on.
For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here.
