Page 18 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 9, 2020 avy eniooavvy S iornior avvyavy n r by Jim Miller Helping Seniors Recognize Fake News and Propaganda Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any resources that you know of that can help seniors detect fake news? My 75-year-old mother shares a lot of misinformation with her family and friends that she sees on Facebook. I’ve talked to her about it, but for some reason she has a diffi cult time deciphering real news from fake news and propaganda. Frustrated Daughter Dear Frustrated, Unfortunately, the digital misinformation problem your mom is experiencing is not uncommon. According to researchers from Princeton and New York University, people aged 65 and older are up to seven times more likely to share fake news and dubious links on social media than their younger counterparts. Why? There are several theories. The fi rst is that many seniors started using social media sites like Facebook only within the past fi ve or six years and may lack the digital literacy skills to identify false or misleading content. Some other possible theories are that most seniors experience some cognitive decline as they age, making them more likely to fall for hoaxes. Many older Americans also suff er from chronic loneliness which can cause them to share misinformation as an attempt to make connections with other people. And studies have shown that older people are generally more trusting than younger generations, which can make them more gullible. All this is particularly concerning now as we sit in the midst of a global health pandemic and a 2020 election season, both of which are ripe with misinformation, rumors and conspiracy theories. And seniors are prime targets of this false/misleading information because they are much more likely to vote than their younger cohorts and are much more vulnerable to getting sick and dying if they contract COVID-19. Where to Get Help To help your mom detect and combat online misinformation there are several great resources she can turn to that off er free courses and tips. One is MediaWise for Seniors, a project of the Poynter Institute, which off ers two free online courses to help seniors detect and combat online misinformation – see Poynter.org/ mediawise-for-seniors. The fi rst four-week course has already fi lled up, but your mom can still enroll in a self-directed course called “Hands-On Lessons to Separate Fact and Fiction Online.” It is hosted by Christiane Amanpour and Joan Lunden, and is scheduled to begin Sept. 24, but she can take the course anytime. In addition, Poynter has worked with AARP to produce Fact Tracker interactive videos and a webinar on spotting and fi ltering misinformation at AARP.org/facttracker. Some other free course options you should look into include Senior Planet, which is off ering a one-hour online course on “How to Spot Fake News” at SeniorPlanet.org. The News Literacy Project that provides the Checkology virtual classroom, which was initially created for middle and high school students, is now off ering an independent learners option that is ideal for older adults – see Get.Checkology.org. Their lessons will help your mom detect the diff erence between news, opinion and propaganda. Coursera, a free world-wide online learning platform, which off ers an in-depth six-week course called “Making Sense of the News: News Literacy Lessons for Digital Citizens,” which she can access at Coursera.org/learn/news-literacy. There are also many good websites, like PolitiFact.com, Snopes.com and FactCheck.org that will let your mom fact check a story to help her identify fact versus fi ction. These sites have most likely already fact-checked the latest viral claim to pop up in her news feed. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ~ LEGAL NOTICE ~ NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL HEARING Malden Community Preservation Committee Notice is hereby given that the City of Malden Community Preservation Committee will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, at 6:00PM Eastern Time (US and Canada), via remote hearing, at which members of the public are invited to attend to participate and provide comments on community preservation project ideas for the upcoming FY2021 funding cycle, in the areas of affordable housing, open space/ recreation, and historical preservation that would benefit the City of Malden: Call to Order CPC Presentation Public Comment Survey Close of Meeting Call for Adjournment If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Maria Luise, ADA Compliance Coordinator at mluise@cityofmalden.org or 781-397-7000, Ext 2005 The hearing will be hosted by the City of Malden on Zoom and will be accessible to members of the public who are invited to attend and provide comments via the following link and/or telephone: Internet Link: https://cityofmalden.zoom.us/j/98994825796?pwd=RjBEUTh2RjVMOTJJN0xOMWVPTTND QT09 Passcode: 769173 Or iPhone one-tap : US: +16465189805,,98994825796#,,,,,,0#,,769173# or +19294362866,,989 94825796#,,,,,,0#,,769173# Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 646 518 9805 or +1 929 436 2866 Webinar ID: 989 9482 5796 Passcode: 769173 International numbers available: https://cityofmalden.zoom.us/u/ac0jlCUDth For further information, please contact the City of Malden Community Preservation Committee via email at maldencpc@cityofmalden.org October 9 & 16, 2020 ~ Home of the Week ~ SAUGUS...Nicely renovated and maintained 6 room Colonial offers 2-3 bedrooms, the 1st floor bedroom wall was removed to create a large, beautiful family room - buyer can re-install wall to bring back 3rd bedroom, 2 updated baths, kitchen with stainless steel appliances, stylish, subway backsplash, dining area, newer flooring and slider to updated sunroom leading to deck, formal dining room, bedrooms have sitting room/walk-in closets, central air, security system, updated gas hot water (2020), updated gas heat with NEST (2013), oversized driveway, one car garage, large, level lot, conveniently located between Saugus Center and Cliftondale Square. 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