The questions which follow provide a basic knowledge test of selected concepts covered in this learning pathway: Mass media.

The questions published at the end of each learning pathway are re-used for the knowledge test for learners interested in earning a digital badge or certificate of participation for the Critical Media Literacies and Associated Digital Skills (LiDA104) micro-course. Please consult the Certify participation page for more information.

True - false questions

Indicate whether the following statements are true or false:

Social media not only convey news but also influence it through participation and engagement.
- True
  - You’re right.
- False
  - No. Have another look at the page on Social Media, Internet and Society.
‘Internet activism’ is a protest movement aimed at protecting the freedom of the internet.
- True
  - No. That is not the correct definition.
- False
  - That’s right.
A ‘walled garden’ is an environment that controls the user’s access to Web content and services.
- True
  - Yes. That is a good definition in the context of digital literacy.
- False
  - No. Have another look at the page on Social Media, Internet and Society for some useful definitions.
‘Fake news’ is a type of satire.
- True
  - No. Fake news is deliberately created to confuse people about what has really happened, whereas satire is designed to entertain.
- False
  - Yes.

Multiple choice questions

Which of the following media technologies was the quickest to reach 100 million users after its launch?
- Telephone (landline)
  - No – that took 75 years.
- World Wide Web
  - No, that took seven years.
- Facebook
  - No, that took four years and six months.
- Whatsapp
  - Yes, that took only three years and four months.
Which of the following is a correct list of the ‘five filters’ of mass media according to Chomsky and Herman’s “Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media”? (Select one.)
- Media ownership, advertising money, media elite, flak, the common enemy
  - That’s right.
- Censorship, state ownership, the military, security services, government
  - That’s not right – look again at the resources on the ‘Manufacturing consent’ page.
- Education, democracy, equality, freedom, accessibility
  - That’s not right – look again at the resources on the ‘Manufacturing consent’ page.
- Transparency, accountability, responsibility, honesty, respect
  - That’s not right – look again at the resources on the ‘Manufacturing consent’ page.
Which two of the following are citizen journalism sites? (Tick two.)
- GlobalVoices
  - Well done.
- Twitter
  - No – Twitter is a primarily a social media site, though it is used by some citizen journalists.
- Wired
  - No – this is a technology magazine.
- Wikinews
  - Yes, well done.
Which of the following are recommended methods to help a reader determine whether an item of news on the internet is fake or not? (Tick all that apply – there are 3 correct answers.)
- Check whether the url for the website is genuine
  - That’s right. By looking carefully at the url and the design of the website you may be able to spot an attempt to mimic a legitimate site.
- Run a google search to see how many times the same story is appearing across the internet
  - No, by itself this is not reliable, as a story can easily go viral without being verified.
- Check the details of the story across several different reputable news sources
  - Correct – reading laterally across multiple reputable news sources is a strategy to verify the reliability of a news item
- Check whether the ‘about’ page of the source website looks credible
  - Yes – that can be a useful guide to the reliability of the source.