Librarianship in the Post-Truth Era: an analysis of the resumes of courses in the area of the state of São Paulo in the face of the fake news phenomenon

• Grant number: 21/02876-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Information Science - Library and Information Science
• Principal researcher: Carlos Cândido de Almeida
• Grantee: Carla Conforto de Oliveira
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências (FFC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Marília. Marília , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the Post-Truth Era, one of the main objectives of spreading false and lying news is to deceive and manipulate public opinion. Although there is no consensus in the literature on what is the so-called "Fake News", the massive dissemination of false ideas and information on social media has garnered significant attention in the democratic political debate. The role of librarians, who are responsible for preserving and disseminating information, is key in the fight against Fake News. This research analyzes whether and how bachelor's courses in Library Science at universities located in the State of São Paulo address the phenomenon of Fake News as well as strategies to combat it. First, I review the literature on the concepts of information, disinformation, and Fake News to understand what Fake News is from the perspective of Information Science. Second, I identify and analyze strategies and tools developed by academic and journalistic societies and universities to combat the spread of false news, such as fact-checking agencies and the infographic prepared by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Finally, I analyze the curricular matrices of these universities and prepare a questionnaire to be answered by faculty members. Analyzing these documents and collecting data through the questionnaires will allow us to understand if and how courses in Library Science at these institutions address topics related to Fake News, including debates about the concept and teaching of strategies and tools to address false news within the scope of its informational skills. Investigating if and how these institutions have been addressing this debate will shed light on the role and training of librarians as key professionals in the fight against Fake News. (AU)