Seminar Preparation: Fake News
Human Rights and the Media
- Find a recent newspaper report which raises human rights issues (e.g. police powers
such as the use of stop and search, criminal sentencing, deportation of a non-UK
national, free expression, right to a fair trial, right to respect for private and family
life). - Summarise, and be prepared to discuss:
a. What the facts were
b. Why it engaged a human rights issue & which human right was engaged
c. Any editorial position taken by the newspaper on the story (is an opinion
expressed on the newspaper story?) - Try to locate another newspaper’s coverage of the same story. If the first story
chosen was a ‘red top’ or ‘tabloid’ newspaper, try to select a ‘broadsheet’ second,
and vice versa. Summarise the editorial position taken by this newspaper, noting any
differences between the two. - Try to locate examples of social media coverage regarding the same story- are there
any misconceptions, mistakes, or examples of one-sided or incomplete reporting?