In this episode, Billie, Paola and Akio are faced with a complex reality: fake news on the Internet. After watching a video shared by Slinky, our three friends are challenged to come up with a way of telling the difference between what's real and what's fake.
How do we know if a story is true? Is it normal to have doubts? Are there signs that can put us on the right track? Together, our three friends develop their detective reflexes, and draw up a list of “red flags” to distinguish fact from opinion, and real news from sensationalistic stories. All the while, of course, keeping an eye on Slinky...
Transcript of episode 3 of The Amazing Earth
Narration
Stop everything, it's time for: The Amazing Earth. Your sustainable unchainable reality TV. Where we do whatever it takes. To make the Earth a better place!
Musical punch
Chapter 3: Staying Informed
Sound of bank swallows singing
In the last episode, our three companions had to adopt new behaviours on the fly to help a fragile bank swallow community that had recently moved to the island. Tensions flared…
Paola
Tense music
How did you know that they were bank swallows?
Narration
In a nutshell, the second challenge was met, but their team spirit took a hit. Will they succeed in mending their fences?
Dramatic punch
Paola
Pff… A squash peel on the ground… Excuse me! What is this?
Billie
Busy singing, can't answer right now!
Robot
Good afternoon, Akio. Did you enjoy your time outdoors?
Akio
I sure did! But it was hard to run with the wind blowing in my face.
Robot
Been there.
Paola
What is THIS?
Akio
Uh, you're holding it way too close to my eyes for me to see anything.
Paola
THAT'S IT, I'VE HAD ENOUGH! Hello! Greta Tunebird! I WANT OUT OF HERE!
Akio and Billie
What's going on… I don't get it?
Dramatic music
Paola
I'm a renowned scientist, but I spend all my time doing household chores! You don't realize everything that I do… I'm bleeding myself dry for you!
Akio
Paola, I'm sorry you feel that way. I'm sure we can find a fairer way to divvy up the chores.
Paola
Good, because I'm burnt out…
Billie
Take a break, then. Akio and I will pitch in to pick up the slack. You like cooking, don't you?
Paola
Yes…
Akio
There you go! You can feed us, then, and we'll take care of the rest. (Booting up his computer) I just want to see if there's a YouTube video on how to clean a bathtub…
Billie
First of all, we don't have Internet access here…
Paola
And second of all, you mean you've never cleaned your bathtub?
Mysterious music
Akio
Sweet! We have Internet today… Come see, there's a YouTube video called The Amazing Earth: Digging into Their Amazing Dirt… By a certain Slinky… And it looks like he's on the island!
Slinky
Hello Slinkists, are you still there? Ugh, my tripod… Even my tripod wants to get out of here… I've been a bit nervous since I got here… That's because I'm more and more convinced of my theory, according to which The Amazing Earth and Tunebird Productions are a scam, a bogus project meant to conceal an outrageous lie. I've seen enough, out there, to know that their obsession with climate change… Their program to promote sound ecological values… that's nothing but hot air! Woo-hoo! Even the weather agrees with me: AGAIN today, it's cold outside, yet further proof that the planet is not warming! To those who say that Greta Tunedirt is a renowned scientist who has won the BONEL Prize for the environment, and blah-blah-blah, I say: Hello! I won an award for Good Behaviour at my elementary school's merit gala, and no one's making a big deal of that! Here, by way of proof, I've shared a link with you to a source that's far more reliable than those pseudo-scientists: My friend Flixter has done research on Tunebird, and even he finds it a bit sketchy. You know me, I'm gonna say it like it is, I'm gonna spell it out for you. It's a: C-O-N-S-P-E-A-R-A-C-Y Conspiracy! (Ding!) “Conspiracy is spelled with an I and not an E and an A… Oh yes, SnoopSnoop92…” I know... (Ding!) “Flixter's website is full of ads, and when I clicked on the video, my screen froze…” TheRealRobertBédard, I'll bet it's because Tunebird retraced our signal… They don't want the truth to come out! If I were you, I would set my computer on fire and buy another one. Ok, I have to bounce. I think the sensors detected my presence, which means I have to be on the move at all times. I hope to get back to you later. 10-4.
Musical punch
Billie
Well… He looked pretty convinced, I have to say…
Musical punch
Akio and Paola
WHAT WAS THAT!
Paola
Hey, saying that the planet is not warming because of a brief cold snap… That's not how it works, and as a scientist, you can take it from me!
Billie
Wait, we're stuck here… Far from our families and friends, we've got no choice but to believe Greta!
Greta Tunebird
You always have a choice.
Billie
I'd like to cancel what I just said, if possible. Before someone else does.
Greta Tunebird
Doubt will be part and parcel of your amazing adventure, my friends.
Akio
What I'm worried about is that he…
Greta Tunebird
Plot twist! (Sound of thunder)This is yet another challenge for you, amazed earthlings. We bought back all the equipment from the so-called Slinky, and we offered to support his YouTube channel, plus we gave him a canoe so that he could come ashore on the island. Of course, we used a fake name and false motivations so that he wouldn't be able to trace it back to us.
Musical punch
Greta Tunebird
You've never had Internet access on this island. But as of today, you will have a new room with three computer stations. You'll be allowed to browse, but with one goal in mind: Distinguishing what's true from what is false on the Web, and reporting back to us with your recommendations.
Musical punch
Akio
Well… Cleaning the bathtub can wait, right…
Tragic musical transition
Narration
A few hours later, we find our three companions seated and hunched over their computers, immersed in the Internet and spectacularly unprepared to accomplish their mission.
Akio
Hahaha… Check out this little cat!
Billie
Paola… Can you remember why we're here?
Paola
Yes! I won… Ahhh… Sure… Something-something… I don't know anymore.
Billie
Guys, we've lost our focus!
Akio
Haha! The Internet was invented for cat videos. Change my mind.
Paola
You're right, it's changing our minds! I can't remember what we're supposed to do right now!
Greta Tunebird
There's one goal to keep in mind: Sorting out the truth from the lies… on the Internet. And reporting back to us with your recommendations!
Akio
Ok, I think we've wasted enough time. The question is: How do we know if the information we get on the internet is true or false?
Paola
We could draw up a list of so-called “red flags”, you know, a list of telltale signs that the content we're viewing may be disinformation, or that the Web site we're visiting can't be relied upon.
Billie
Is disinformation fake news?
Paola
Uh, not quite! Fake news is a publication that pushes information that is false… Incomplete or exaggerated… Or out-of-context… Disinformation, on the other hand, is when fake news is created or shared with the intention of misleading people, lying to them, persuading them of something, or distorting reality.
Akio
WHAT! We need to include that in our recommendations!
Billie
I'm on it, taking notes for a document that we can send to Tunebird Productions.
Keyboard typing sound
Akio
Thanks! Good idea! Now, let's pretend that we're detectives…
Paola
What would our red flags be? Let's brainstorm!
Akio
Hmm… How about spelling mistakes?
Billie
How do you spell spelling? … Just kidding! Go on…
Keyboard typing sound
Paola
Uh… When pop-up windows don't stop opening… Is there anything more annoying!
Akio
True dat! And also: Sometimes it seems that the person speaking wants us to be outraged, emotional, or whatever…
Paola
… Provoke strong emotions in us, totally. And… with statements that are often shocking or controversial…
Billie
Keyboard typing sound accelerating
You guys are on fire! It's a good thing I can type faster than my shadow.
Paola
You're not kidding, you type like a bat of out hell. Let's continue…
Akio
What about the so-called experts who always say “I” when they speak? That can't be objective.
Paola
Right? And us scientists, we notice that real quick too because their sources aren't clear… And even when there are links to references, they either don't work or lead to shady websites… You can't rely on them! And don't even get me started with the images that are shared online! Sometimes, you know, they are incredible, almost unreal… But there's no way of knowing where they come from…
Billie
Some of those are AI-generated… No offence to you, robot voice…
Robot
None taken, but I appreciate the sentiment.
Akio
Also, Billie: notice their obsessions with publications that use words like lie… hoax… or fraud! Or conspiracy!
Billie
Yeah! Sometimes, what they tell you is like… Too good to be true?
Paola
Too suss… Like when they say… “You'll never believe this video!” You're absolutely right, Billie, that can be a red flag, too.
Akio
But… If this content is so obviously false… Why does it go viral on the Internet? Because that Slinky sure has a legion of followers…
Paola
To answer your question, it's shared among friends, then among friends of friends… Like a mega-chain reaction… And social media doesn't help, either… In fact the information can be twisted to the point where they get faker and faker!
Akio
Much of it is just opinion… You have to be able to tell the difference between that and a scientific article.
Billie
So what is the difference, in that case? Let's say I live under a rock and I know nothing about the subject…
Paola
The information shared in a scientific article is verified. Scientists and journalists have to do research, cite their sources, and adopt a generally objective point-of-view, and their articles must be peer-reviewed before they're published. Which is not always the case when people are just airing their opinions…
Billie
Keyboard typing sound
Ok, to summarize. Our red flags. This is what we got so far:
1- The publication immediately provokes a strong emotion, such as anger, fear or doubt.
2- Its content seems too good to be true.
3- The references are not cited: We don't know the source of the information or the image.
4- This news item reads more like an opinion (emotional or subjective tone, with sentences that begin with “I”, anecdotes, viewpoints, how the author feels about XYZ) than a reporting of facts (information, references, neutral tone).*
Anything else?
Paola
I would add that you should avoid commenting on or sharing anything if you're not 100 percent sure that it's accurate or true.
Akio
Hundred p, Paola. The more we share a post online, the more it blows up, and the more people wanna share it again.
Billie
Keyboard typing sound. Sound of an email being sent
Wow. After hours wasted on the Internet, I'd say these last few minutes have more than made up for it!
Akio
We met that challenge, but… here's a challenge we still have to meet: this guy.
We hear a short excerpt from the Slinky video: “‘I'm gonna spell it out for you: C-O-N-S-P-E-A-R-A-C-Y. Conspiracy!'
Paola
I can't decide whether he truly is an enemy or just some really confused web user...
Billie
We'll have to keep an eye on him…
Akio and Paola
Hmm.
Narration
And thus ends Chapter 3 of The Amazing Earth, with our three companions striking a dubious note. Even though they accomplished their mission with panache, they cannot bring themselves to celebrate… because worry looms over the pavilion… And while Slinky lurks, closer and closer, the wind continues to blow outside, stronger and stronger…
Tune in later to find out more!
But don't feel blue: Life goes on… And this amazing Earth we live on will keep spinning with the stars!
Until next episode Stay green, and stay amazed!
Credits
- Production: la Puce à l'oreille for Espace pour la vie, a service of the Ville de Montréal
- Text: Véronique Pascal
- Voices: Florence Blain Mbay, Francesca Barcenas and Vincent Kim
- Co-direction: La puce à l'oreille and Bakery Studios