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True or False: A CIA Analyst's Guide to Spotting Fake News
"Fake news" is a term you’ve probably heard a lot in the last few years, but it’s not a new phenomenon. From the ancient Egyptians to the French Revolution to Jack the Ripper and the Founding Fathers, fake news has been around as long as human civilization. But that doesn’t mean that we should just give up on the idea of finding the truth.
In True or False, former CIA analyst Cindy Otis takes listeners through the history and impact of misinformation over the centuries, sharing stories from the past and insights that listeners today can gain from them. Then, she shares lessons learned in more than a decade working for the CIA, including actionable tips on how to spot fake news, how to make sense of the information we receive each day, and, perhaps most importantly, how to understand and see past our own information biases so that we can think critically about important issues and put events happening around us into context.
In True or False, former CIA analyst Cindy Otis takes listeners through the history and impact of misinformation over the centuries, sharing stories from the past and insights that listeners today can gain from them. Then, she shares lessons learned in more than a decade working for the CIA, including actionable tips on how to spot fake news, how to make sense of the information we receive each day, and, perhaps most importantly, how to understand and see past our own information biases so that we can think critically about important issues and put events happening around us into context.
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First published July 28, 2020
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About the author
Cindy L. Otis
3 books105 followersCindy is the author of AT THE SPEED OF LIES, a contemporary thriller out now with Scholastic. Cindy is also the author of TRUE OR FALSE, the critically acclaimed YA non-fiction read, which was a Golden Kite Award finalist.
She was born on the West Coast and raised in the northeast where she spends more time than she would like maintaining the tenuous peace between her pets.
She was born on the West Coast and raised in the northeast where she spends more time than she would like maintaining the tenuous peace between her pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
December 6, 2020
Extremely basic intro into the subject of distinguishing bullshit from maybe smth real. The part on the fake news is entirely self-evident and unrevelatory. There's no techniques for distinguishing fake and real news that one couldn't Google or just make up on the spot.
The historical overview was better written and overall more interesting (and didn't read like some basic reader for preschoolers). Marie Antounette, Medicis, Justinian and Theodora, Edgar A. Poe and other people seem to have had brushes with fake news long before they became mainstream. So, the extra star is for this.
Q:
Now, if you’re wondering why your history textbooks never told you about the Great Martian Invasion of Earth in 1938, that’s because, as you might have guessed, it never happened. ...
Years later, in 1955, Orson Welles himself offered similar advice during an interview with the BBC by revealing the true intentions of those involved in the broadcast. “We weren’t as innocent as we meant to be when we did the Martian broadcast,” he said. “We were fed up with the way in which everything that came over this new magic box, the radio, was being swallowed … so in a way, our broadcast was an assault on the credibility of that machine. We wanted people to understand that they shouldn’t take any opinion predigested, and they shouldn’t swallow everything that came through the tap, whether it was radio or not.” (c)
Q:
After the Fifteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1870, making it illegal to deny (male) citizens the right to vote based on race or color, many states implemented poll taxes instead, making people pay a fee to register to vote. It was a way to keep low-income people, and especially black people and immigrants, out of politics and without a voice in government. And it worked quite effectively for a long time. Before 1942, only about 20 percent of people who were eligible to vote actually did so. (c) Very democratic. Huh.
The historical overview was better written and overall more interesting (and didn't read like some basic reader for preschoolers). Marie Antounette, Medicis, Justinian and Theodora, Edgar A. Poe and other people seem to have had brushes with fake news long before they became mainstream. So, the extra star is for this.
Q:
Now, if you’re wondering why your history textbooks never told you about the Great Martian Invasion of Earth in 1938, that’s because, as you might have guessed, it never happened. ...
Years later, in 1955, Orson Welles himself offered similar advice during an interview with the BBC by revealing the true intentions of those involved in the broadcast. “We weren’t as innocent as we meant to be when we did the Martian broadcast,” he said. “We were fed up with the way in which everything that came over this new magic box, the radio, was being swallowed … so in a way, our broadcast was an assault on the credibility of that machine. We wanted people to understand that they shouldn’t take any opinion predigested, and they shouldn’t swallow everything that came through the tap, whether it was radio or not.” (c)
Q:
After the Fifteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1870, making it illegal to deny (male) citizens the right to vote based on race or color, many states implemented poll taxes instead, making people pay a fee to register to vote. It was a way to keep low-income people, and especially black people and immigrants, out of politics and without a voice in government. And it worked quite effectively for a long time. Before 1942, only about 20 percent of people who were eligible to vote actually did so. (c) Very democratic. Huh.
April 24, 2025
Last month I was at a friend's house and saw that she was reading and discussing this book with her 14 year-old son. She highly recommended it, and my interest was piqued. So I picked it up when I saw it at my local library.
I like to think of myself as a savvy news consumer, and a review of this topic can never hurt.
This book is written for high school students. Otis doesn't dumb down the material; she takes her topic and writes in a clear, simple, and direct manner. You can read the Table of Contents on Amazon to get a good overview.
The reminders that I most needed were:
"Repetition is the key to getting people to believe fake news."
"Confronting a lie with the truth should work, right? It should, but it often doesn't. . . . Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort we go through when our personal views and ideas about something do not match the actual facts or evidence in front of us. . . . our brains automatically start searching for a way to reconcile the two. . . . we go to great lengths to convince ourselves we are right, even when we are not."
In our current world where many of us get our news from social media, I declare that this book should be mandatory reading for all young people, and it's a good idea for everyone else too.
Publication 2020
I like to think of myself as a savvy news consumer, and a review of this topic can never hurt.
This book is written for high school students. Otis doesn't dumb down the material; she takes her topic and writes in a clear, simple, and direct manner. You can read the Table of Contents on Amazon to get a good overview.
The reminders that I most needed were:
"Repetition is the key to getting people to believe fake news."
"Confronting a lie with the truth should work, right? It should, but it often doesn't. . . . Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort we go through when our personal views and ideas about something do not match the actual facts or evidence in front of us. . . . our brains automatically start searching for a way to reconcile the two. . . . we go to great lengths to convince ourselves we are right, even when we are not."
In our current world where many of us get our news from social media, I declare that this book should be mandatory reading for all young people, and it's a good idea for everyone else too.
Publication 2020
February 17, 2020
This book belongs in every government class! As a writer and professor teaching protest, I was offered this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m thrilled to give it to you! Taking the reader through a history of fake news (starting with Jack the Ripper’s coverage but going back to the 1200s - propaganda, yellow journalism) through today’s online media frenzy—and offering ways to discern real from fake throughout, this book will be an essential for any secondary teacher. Written in a tight, reportorial style, each segment is both enthralling and enlightening. “Legitimate media is trying to inform you. Fake news is trying to deceive you.” You’ll understand this so deeply once you read!
April 12, 2020
The book begins with the history of fake news, which was fascinating, and then went on with points to watch out for in everyday life – especially biases that most of us are guilty of. Very helpful! While reading this book, I played a game with my family, with me giving them “facts” that they had to look up and figure out if they were true. I think not only teens should read this book, but also adults.
December 1, 2020
Cindy L. Otis, whose literal job was filtering and verifying news and intelligence reports for the CIA, has written a guide to spotting fake news. She begins with a history of fake news, going all the way back to Ramses II in Ancient Egypt; discusses what fake news is and isn’t; then provides tips and exercises to make it easier for the average citizen to spot fake news him- or herself.
In this information age, we find ourselves bombarded with facts or “facts,” as the case may be. A fringe group believing a kooky conspiracy theory may seem fairly harmless but when large swathes of the population believe anything they read that reinforces their own beliefs, we have a huge problem. Consider these sobering statistics:
“The study found that fake news and rumors overwhelmingly reached more people and spread a whole six times faster than true stories. Fake political news, more than any other category of false information on social media, reached more people faster and went deeper into their personal networks.”
Or this one:
“BuzzFeed News also found that the top twenty fake news articles in 2016 got more shares on Facebook than the top twenty real news stories.”
That’s right–fake news gets more traction than real news. I personally find that frightening. Most of us believe ourselves to be well-informed, but are we correctly informed? Probably not as much as we think we are.
Ms. Otis shares examples of how far-reaching the effects of fake news can be. She details the story of the leadup to the Spanish-American war and how publishers wrote blatant lies in order to sell more newspapers and stir up anti-Spanish emotions. It worked but at the cost of a war and the deaths of innocent people. In 2018, townspeople in Mexico circulated a wild rumor that criminals were kidnapping children and killing them for their organs. Shortly thereafter, a mob beat two innocent men and burned them alive simply because they were strangers passing through at the wrong time. Fake news is not harmless or victimless.
Many of the tips were fairly self-evident to me but seeing them presented and organized in this manner made me more aware of my own processes of evaluation. I did find ways to improve my own habits though. I’m terrible about only reading a headline on social media and moving on. Even if that headline is from a reliable source (and I do follow well-established news sites), that’s a bad habit. I can’t possibly know as much as I think I do after reading only a headline. She also suggested that discerning readers should follow news sources with opposing slants. I only follow left-leaning news sources. While reading the book, I decided to start following the Wall Street Journal as well, as a right-leaning yet reliable source. (A friend shared a link to this media bias chart weeks ago if you’re curious about your own news feed. This book didn’t mention it.)
The exercises are primarily image-based so my Kindle Paperwhite was not ideal for looking at those. I’d recommend reading this on a tablet or in print instead for that reason.
People or groups using fake news to influence public opinion will often claim that what they say is the truth, and that every other source of information is lying. The Nazis also played on people’s existing biases and the racism of the time. Fake news is not usually capable of changing our minds completely—it cannot usually get us to believe the complete opposite of what we believed before. Instead, it plays to our existing beliefs and just makes us more certain we are right.
But probably the big problem with a book like this is that the very people who need it most are the ones who are going to view the book itself as fake news. I write this not because they’re more gullible or less-informed; they are simply targeted more frequently. Because fake news was such a huge factor in the 2016 election, the author spends quite a bit of time discussing how other countries leveraged the power of fake news to affect American voters. There are already a couple of reviews of this book on GoodReads opining the author’s “bias against Trump” and “pro-feminist agenda.” (I don’t know what feminism has to do with anything, but whatever.) She admits her own left-leaning bias in the appropriate section but I thought the 2016 election section was remarkably balanced. She tries to stick to the facts as they were and are. But maybe that’s my own bias creeping in.
I definitely recommend this for all readers of any age. This is a hugely important topic that all citizens should learn more about. We’re all susceptible to being duped; we should arm ourselves against disinformation as best we can.
In this information age, we find ourselves bombarded with facts or “facts,” as the case may be. A fringe group believing a kooky conspiracy theory may seem fairly harmless but when large swathes of the population believe anything they read that reinforces their own beliefs, we have a huge problem. Consider these sobering statistics:
“The study found that fake news and rumors overwhelmingly reached more people and spread a whole six times faster than true stories. Fake political news, more than any other category of false information on social media, reached more people faster and went deeper into their personal networks.”
Or this one:
“BuzzFeed News also found that the top twenty fake news articles in 2016 got more shares on Facebook than the top twenty real news stories.”
That’s right–fake news gets more traction than real news. I personally find that frightening. Most of us believe ourselves to be well-informed, but are we correctly informed? Probably not as much as we think we are.
Ms. Otis shares examples of how far-reaching the effects of fake news can be. She details the story of the leadup to the Spanish-American war and how publishers wrote blatant lies in order to sell more newspapers and stir up anti-Spanish emotions. It worked but at the cost of a war and the deaths of innocent people. In 2018, townspeople in Mexico circulated a wild rumor that criminals were kidnapping children and killing them for their organs. Shortly thereafter, a mob beat two innocent men and burned them alive simply because they were strangers passing through at the wrong time. Fake news is not harmless or victimless.
Many of the tips were fairly self-evident to me but seeing them presented and organized in this manner made me more aware of my own processes of evaluation. I did find ways to improve my own habits though. I’m terrible about only reading a headline on social media and moving on. Even if that headline is from a reliable source (and I do follow well-established news sites), that’s a bad habit. I can’t possibly know as much as I think I do after reading only a headline. She also suggested that discerning readers should follow news sources with opposing slants. I only follow left-leaning news sources. While reading the book, I decided to start following the Wall Street Journal as well, as a right-leaning yet reliable source. (A friend shared a link to this media bias chart weeks ago if you’re curious about your own news feed. This book didn’t mention it.)
The exercises are primarily image-based so my Kindle Paperwhite was not ideal for looking at those. I’d recommend reading this on a tablet or in print instead for that reason.
People or groups using fake news to influence public opinion will often claim that what they say is the truth, and that every other source of information is lying. The Nazis also played on people’s existing biases and the racism of the time. Fake news is not usually capable of changing our minds completely—it cannot usually get us to believe the complete opposite of what we believed before. Instead, it plays to our existing beliefs and just makes us more certain we are right.
But probably the big problem with a book like this is that the very people who need it most are the ones who are going to view the book itself as fake news. I write this not because they’re more gullible or less-informed; they are simply targeted more frequently. Because fake news was such a huge factor in the 2016 election, the author spends quite a bit of time discussing how other countries leveraged the power of fake news to affect American voters. There are already a couple of reviews of this book on GoodReads opining the author’s “bias against Trump” and “pro-feminist agenda.” (I don’t know what feminism has to do with anything, but whatever.) She admits her own left-leaning bias in the appropriate section but I thought the 2016 election section was remarkably balanced. She tries to stick to the facts as they were and are. But maybe that’s my own bias creeping in.
I definitely recommend this for all readers of any age. This is a hugely important topic that all citizens should learn more about. We’re all susceptible to being duped; we should arm ourselves against disinformation as best we can.
May 21, 2020
A few years back when one of my kids had to write a report on "science in the news," I remember having to explain the difference between an "advertorial" and an actual, credible source of information. This is just one example of how easy it is for people to get confused by information that isn't entirely accurate or that's biased. With the entirety of the internet at their fingertips -- and all the good and bad that this entails -- it can be tough for teens (as well as adults) to sort out facts from opinion, truths from untruths, real news from fake. This guide from Cindy Otis is well written and researched, it's accessible and also fascinating to read. In it, she details the wild history of "fake news," explains concepts like confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance, and provides tips on how to spot misleading information, from fake websites, doctored photos, biased reporting and more. This book is an excellent resource for teens (and adults) who want to become more thoughtful consumers (and sharers) of content. It couldn't be more relevant considering our present timeline.
February 28, 2023
Fake news is a major problem in our world today, with very real consequences. It's insidious. It's invasive. It's corrosive.
How can we spot fake news? Where does fake news come from? How can we fight against it? Those are the questions that are addressed in this book.
Author Cindy L. Otis opens her book by sharing stories of fake news from the past, including the fake news generated by the Jack the Ripper case and fake news told during the reign of Ramses II in Egypt. It's comforting to know that fake news isn't just a modern day phenomenon. Her information from the recent past about the efforts of cigarette companies to thwart the warnings arising from scientific studies on smoking is a reminder to all of us how money can entice others to lie and even kill.
The most important part of the book, for me, is the last half of the book. Here Otis discusses the biases we all have, ways to help identify your own biases, techniques to examine the news we read carefully, as well as looking closely at the characteristics of fake news along with the characteristics of fake photos, inaccurate polls, and doctored photos and videos. Otis includes some helpful exercises that help us look carefully at news.
I challenge us all to read this book and others like it and to think more deeply about the information we are taking in and sharing from social media, traditional news sources, and even conversations with others.
How can we spot fake news? Where does fake news come from? How can we fight against it? Those are the questions that are addressed in this book.
Author Cindy L. Otis opens her book by sharing stories of fake news from the past, including the fake news generated by the Jack the Ripper case and fake news told during the reign of Ramses II in Egypt. It's comforting to know that fake news isn't just a modern day phenomenon. Her information from the recent past about the efforts of cigarette companies to thwart the warnings arising from scientific studies on smoking is a reminder to all of us how money can entice others to lie and even kill.
The most important part of the book, for me, is the last half of the book. Here Otis discusses the biases we all have, ways to help identify your own biases, techniques to examine the news we read carefully, as well as looking closely at the characteristics of fake news along with the characteristics of fake photos, inaccurate polls, and doctored photos and videos. Otis includes some helpful exercises that help us look carefully at news.
I challenge us all to read this book and others like it and to think more deeply about the information we are taking in and sharing from social media, traditional news sources, and even conversations with others.
September 19, 2020
The author does a fine job discussing historical fake news situations. However when she moves into the current time frame she lets her personal biases affect her ability to describe topics. This bias ruined the author’s credibility. She does admit to her bias and she discusses that we as readers need to be careful of people with biases but she does not try to hide her bias. Very disappointing but it shows how difficult it must be to write about a topic that you have a passion for.
January 30, 2021
This was such an informational book and super relevant to the current world. It's crazy how many Americans cannot tell fact from fiction. The way our society labels information that we disagree with as "false news" has only make the problem of misinformation worse. Everyone has their own inherant bias, and it's up to us to be aware of that and fight our instincts. I thought I was really good at distinguishing false information and checking sources, but now I realize I probably wasn't as good as I would have liked to think I was. I'm definitely going to dig deeper now when I process information, and expand my circle of news to include perspectives that I may not wholeheartedly agree with.
Want to read
March 25, 2025just found out my new local bookstore owner is not only an author of 2 books and 1 upcoming but was ALSO a CIA ANALYST????!!! MAD RESPECT LIKE HUH???
February 27, 2021
True or False is an easy-to-digest nonfiction look at fake news, how to spot modern fake news, and what the reader can do about it. The first half of the book looks at fake news in a historical perspective, starting with Jack the Ripper and ending with Pizzagate. Each example reveals who started the fake news, who furthered the news, and how it impacted society at the time. The second half reviews how to determine fact from opinion, individual bias, media bias, spotting fake news articles, polling, fake photos and video, spotting fake news on social media, and how to investigate breaking news as it is happening.
The examples for each section are well explained and provide historical documents to back up claims. Once more modern examples come into play, the author provides screen captures from the internet. It is incredible how much influence each instance of “mainstream” fake news had on individuals and the financial gains the instigators were able to obtain.
I highly recommend this book to teens wanting to know more about fake news and/or who are just interested in the spread of rumors and far fetched tales.
The reading level for this book would make it accessible to students as early as 7th grade, though the content and concepts mentioned, while easily researched online and mostly public knowledge to anyone paying attention, are not the most savory for younger readers. This book should be considered for any students 10th grade and up. High School English, Political Science, and Journalism teachers should all consider this book for curriculum and discussion. The second portion of the book does include short observation activities that could encourage students to write in their copies, so offer photocopies of these short sections if you plan to distribute copies over several years.
August 3, 2020
This title caught my eye as I was teaching our Year 7 classes a unit on Fake News. It is a perfectly timed and titled novel and it works as a perfect resource for our unit. The author, Cindy L. Otis is a former CIA analyst and that gives credit and interest to the book. She brings an interesting perspective to this mix of fake news history and skills and tips for identifying and responding to fake news.
I was thoroughly impressed by the writing style of this book. I thought I might flick through it, but I found myself engaged in the text and the way Otis weaves the story. Each chapter is compelling and told in an easy-to-read way. There are funny asides and the language used is as approachable to teens as it is to adults.
I’m happy to report that the examples and exercises used in the novel are not all USA focused. The book starts with an exploration of fake news through history, including tales of Jack the Ripper and Ancient Egyptians to monarchs, revolutions and wars. Then comes the introduction of telegraphs, radio, television, internet and social media. Each chapter shows how the changes in society and technology influenced and were influenced by fake news. Each part in the laying out of the history of fake news is given an interesting story and example of the impact of the fake news.
Following the history of fake news, Otis gives the reader an insight on how to fight back against fake news. The chapters in part 2 focus on underlying principles of fake news and techniques to distinguish it. These chapters include information on facts vs opinions, bias, tips on how to spot fake news articles, information on polling and how to identify fake images and videos. Otis also includes chapters on memes and tips for using social media and understanding the breaking news cycle. Each of these chapters include real-life examples of fake news, their impact on politics, society, the economy, as well as exercises. I loved these exercise ideas. They will be great for using with our classes, giving students the skills they need to fight against fake news and to be informed.
I learnt so much from this book and it will be a fabulous resource to share with my students and to use in my teaching. I highly recommend that all teens (and adults) read this informative, yet enjoyable and easy-to-read book about news, misinformation and how it shapes us and society.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
I was thoroughly impressed by the writing style of this book. I thought I might flick through it, but I found myself engaged in the text and the way Otis weaves the story. Each chapter is compelling and told in an easy-to-read way. There are funny asides and the language used is as approachable to teens as it is to adults.
I’m happy to report that the examples and exercises used in the novel are not all USA focused. The book starts with an exploration of fake news through history, including tales of Jack the Ripper and Ancient Egyptians to monarchs, revolutions and wars. Then comes the introduction of telegraphs, radio, television, internet and social media. Each chapter shows how the changes in society and technology influenced and were influenced by fake news. Each part in the laying out of the history of fake news is given an interesting story and example of the impact of the fake news.
Following the history of fake news, Otis gives the reader an insight on how to fight back against fake news. The chapters in part 2 focus on underlying principles of fake news and techniques to distinguish it. These chapters include information on facts vs opinions, bias, tips on how to spot fake news articles, information on polling and how to identify fake images and videos. Otis also includes chapters on memes and tips for using social media and understanding the breaking news cycle. Each of these chapters include real-life examples of fake news, their impact on politics, society, the economy, as well as exercises. I loved these exercise ideas. They will be great for using with our classes, giving students the skills they need to fight against fake news and to be informed.
I learnt so much from this book and it will be a fabulous resource to share with my students and to use in my teaching. I highly recommend that all teens (and adults) read this informative, yet enjoyable and easy-to-read book about news, misinformation and how it shapes us and society.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
January 1, 2023
Clearly written, practical advice on what to believe in the news and on socials and why to believe it. Designed for young adults but useful for other adults too. So interesting to hear from a former CIA analyst. She's also a wheelchair user and gives a little perspective on that too.
November 1, 2020
What an interesting, engaging, relevant YA non-fiction pick! While there were certainly things I knew, I still definitely learned something. Reading this book made me want to create a whole media literacy course for my students. And while it is a YA read, I would say any adult could pick this up and learn from it!
January 11, 2021
Personally I think this is an excellent beginners guide to understanding the history of false news and outlines some great ways to spot fake information. Honestly it’s geared towards teens but I would pass this on to the boomer adults in my life that can’t distinguish between a meme and breaking news.
October 18, 2020
I skimmed this book to see if it would be good addition to my high school library. I liked all of the examples, especially the last third of the book.
May 7, 2023
WARNING: Graphic violence in the spoiler.
Author Cindy L. Otis came to my attention with her upcoming novel At the Speed of Lies. Then I noticed this non-fiction tome, True or False: A CIA Analyst's Guide to Spotting Fake News, in her backlist.
I rarely read non-fiction. My exceptions are the works of Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen, and though those books are adult, the YA-targeted True or False sits comfortably beside them. They're engaging in the same way, and True or False is even more accessible as it's shorter and even snappier.
I talked on Instagram a lot as I read this, because I got so much out of it. And somehow there's stuff that I hadn't heard of at the time. There's a heartbreaking, frustrating event sparked by fake news circulating in WhatsApp messages in Mexico. Absolutely devastating.
Most of True or False is timeless. Until Chapter 20. Keep in mind that this was first published in 2020, and at the time social media sites were actually trying to crack down on fake stuff. But I'm reading the book in 2023, and since Twitter has changed ownership... Well, one of Cindy L. Otis's tips for identifying experts - and that someone is who they claim they are - was Twitter verification ticks. (Which are now mostly belonging to anyone who forks out the requisite payment, or government-identified accounts.) Oops. But I don't blame the author for not correctly predicting the future in this case. It's the one flaw in this must-read book that I heartily recommend to people of any age - even my 70-year-old father showed interest.
Author Cindy L. Otis came to my attention with her upcoming novel At the Speed of Lies. Then I noticed this non-fiction tome, True or False: A CIA Analyst's Guide to Spotting Fake News, in her backlist.
I rarely read non-fiction. My exceptions are the works of Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen, and though those books are adult, the YA-targeted True or False sits comfortably beside them. They're engaging in the same way, and True or False is even more accessible as it's shorter and even snappier.
I talked on Instagram a lot as I read this, because I got so much out of it. And somehow there's stuff that I hadn't heard of at the time. There's a heartbreaking, frustrating event sparked by fake news circulating in WhatsApp messages in Mexico. Absolutely devastating.
Most of True or False is timeless. Until Chapter 20. Keep in mind that this was first published in 2020, and at the time social media sites were actually trying to crack down on fake stuff. But I'm reading the book in 2023, and since Twitter has changed ownership... Well, one of Cindy L. Otis's tips for identifying experts - and that someone is who they claim they are - was Twitter verification ticks. (Which are now mostly belonging to anyone who forks out the requisite payment, or government-identified accounts.) Oops. But I don't blame the author for not correctly predicting the future in this case. It's the one flaw in this must-read book that I heartily recommend to people of any age - even my 70-year-old father showed interest.
August 15, 2022
The historical examples at the beginning of the book were quite interesting and work well to give a wider perspective on the threat of “fake news”, disinformation campaigns, and lies. These have all been around as long as there has been the recorded word.
The author gives many tips for detecting and avoiding misinformation, but the research shows most of us struggle to use them effectively even when we think we know better. In other words, unless we adopt a diligent (and time-consuming) protocol for news analysis, we are most likely to stay in our own bubble.
Some reviewers have said her tips are too basic. I found this section accessible, easy to understand, and thorough. But then, I’m a fan of bullet points. The exercises (spot the fake news) should be engaging for students. A few of the examples were hard to see in the paperback version. The author emphasizes the need for validating and checking your sources. Remember your teachers and librarians telling you that? We can’t slack off now! Our nation needs us all to be critical thinkers.
One potential audience for this book would be senior citizens who might not be aware of deep fakes and other techniques that make it hard to discern legitimate news from fake.
In summary, I found this book interesting. It’s a much-needed introduction to critical reading for some, and a great reminder for all of us to be better news consumers.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who teaches English, journalism, critical thinking, history, or political science. You will find many ways to incorporate the examples here into your lessons.
The author gives many tips for detecting and avoiding misinformation, but the research shows most of us struggle to use them effectively even when we think we know better. In other words, unless we adopt a diligent (and time-consuming) protocol for news analysis, we are most likely to stay in our own bubble.
Some reviewers have said her tips are too basic. I found this section accessible, easy to understand, and thorough. But then, I’m a fan of bullet points. The exercises (spot the fake news) should be engaging for students. A few of the examples were hard to see in the paperback version. The author emphasizes the need for validating and checking your sources. Remember your teachers and librarians telling you that? We can’t slack off now! Our nation needs us all to be critical thinkers.
One potential audience for this book would be senior citizens who might not be aware of deep fakes and other techniques that make it hard to discern legitimate news from fake.
In summary, I found this book interesting. It’s a much-needed introduction to critical reading for some, and a great reminder for all of us to be better news consumers.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who teaches English, journalism, critical thinking, history, or political science. You will find many ways to incorporate the examples here into your lessons.
June 12, 2021
3
Good - but the concepts and ideas that Cindy introduces were all ones that I was familiar with prior to reading this book. I particularly liked the historical detailing - Part 1 where she explores the narrative of how fake news came to exist in its current format, from Jack the Ripper to Rameses and the American Presidents amongst others. Once again, however, I will say that I was also previously aware of the majority of the information here.
Perhaps I'm speaking from the privileged standpoint of an individual who has grown up immersed within the digital age, but everything which was covered was quite surface level - I will say that I myself have been involved to some extent in doctoring and altering websites and digital media in order to play pranks on others, so I have a little bit of prior experience. I do acknowledge the difficulty that lies within covering in depth the sources of misinformation, and the various ways in which we have to combat them as there are simply so many. With every passing day, new technology and developments lead to new techniques and methods by which misinformation can be spread, so it is a losing battle in that sense.
Nevertheless, I would be quite surprised if many, or any of my peers were not cognisant of the concepts that this book brings to light. Even if they perhaps cannot articulate it as eloquently, they would be able to tell you, for example, which Twitter account really belongs to Prince Harry and that the dolphin in the picture they're looking at was photoshopped in.
In that sense, I feel as though this book is better suited and more productive for the older generation to consume - the ones who did not grow up seeped within this environment of social media, clickbait, and false news.
Good - but the concepts and ideas that Cindy introduces were all ones that I was familiar with prior to reading this book. I particularly liked the historical detailing - Part 1 where she explores the narrative of how fake news came to exist in its current format, from Jack the Ripper to Rameses and the American Presidents amongst others. Once again, however, I will say that I was also previously aware of the majority of the information here.
Perhaps I'm speaking from the privileged standpoint of an individual who has grown up immersed within the digital age, but everything which was covered was quite surface level - I will say that I myself have been involved to some extent in doctoring and altering websites and digital media in order to play pranks on others, so I have a little bit of prior experience. I do acknowledge the difficulty that lies within covering in depth the sources of misinformation, and the various ways in which we have to combat them as there are simply so many. With every passing day, new technology and developments lead to new techniques and methods by which misinformation can be spread, so it is a losing battle in that sense.
Nevertheless, I would be quite surprised if many, or any of my peers were not cognisant of the concepts that this book brings to light. Even if they perhaps cannot articulate it as eloquently, they would be able to tell you, for example, which Twitter account really belongs to Prince Harry and that the dolphin in the picture they're looking at was photoshopped in.
In that sense, I feel as though this book is better suited and more productive for the older generation to consume - the ones who did not grow up seeped within this environment of social media, clickbait, and false news.
December 28, 2020
I'm still not exactly sure who the best audience for this would be. I did learn some things, and I have taught media classes to middle schoolers myself. The book is well-organized and would lend itself to supporting someone teaching about media literacy. I did find the reverse typography a bit off-putting at times, and some of the examples were blurry.
Interestingly enough, I had already experienced fake news simply by searching twitter with "Nashville suspect," as I read this right after the Christmas, 2020 bombing. I was amazed by the number of false tweets that resulted, and many showed the characteristics of bots, trolls, and manufactured tweets that I later read about. I can imagine that the author would have had a field day with incorporating stories from the COVID pandemic; I have also seen so many examples of media bias during the stimulus package debate. Ironically, I feel like she could have also included "errors" of omission in media reporting; I felt there were some things she left out.
I first heard about this book by attending a webinar with the author and Peter Adams of the News Literacy Project.
Interestingly enough, I had already experienced fake news simply by searching twitter with "Nashville suspect," as I read this right after the Christmas, 2020 bombing. I was amazed by the number of false tweets that resulted, and many showed the characteristics of bots, trolls, and manufactured tweets that I later read about. I can imagine that the author would have had a field day with incorporating stories from the COVID pandemic; I have also seen so many examples of media bias during the stimulus package debate. Ironically, I feel like she could have also included "errors" of omission in media reporting; I felt there were some things she left out.
I first heard about this book by attending a webinar with the author and Peter Adams of the News Literacy Project.
October 19, 2021
I received this book in my middle school library via a monthly service to which I subscribe. I was immediately intrigued. I found the history portion of the book fascinating. I just never thought about the events which were discussed as being “fake news.” The portion which “teaches” you how to spot fake news may seem a little simplistic and common sense to some, but this book is aimed at the YA crowd. I know plenty of adults that need the “how-to” of spotting fake news spelled out letter by letter. I thought the author did a great job explaining what to look for in fake news. I will definitely recommend this one to students.
March 15, 2025
As a high school teacher, I think this would be such a great book to implement in the classroom. I’m already looking at exercises and excerpts I can utilize as we start argumentative writing. As a human, I think this should be required reading for everyone. Even if you don’t agree with her stances on things 100%, the practice of looking at information critically and evaluating where your views and information come from is so critical. We’re losing this skill as a society and it shows. 10/10 would recommend.
April 16, 2025
This is not a "you're wrong book"
Or motivated by the bipartisan system in the US-- this book explains the delicate political landscape especially with the relation to the media. This book should be a resource used in every civics/government class across the nation. It teaches clearly the difference between fact and opinions, and how to combat incorrect information. Highly recommend for anyone engaged in being an informed politically involved person
Or motivated by the bipartisan system in the US-- this book explains the delicate political landscape especially with the relation to the media. This book should be a resource used in every civics/government class across the nation. It teaches clearly the difference between fact and opinions, and how to combat incorrect information. Highly recommend for anyone engaged in being an informed politically involved person
December 20, 2023
I really liked the first half of the book, which told fake news stories throughout history. The second half was more informative, describing how to spot modern day fake news. Some of the second half feels like common sense, but there still is a lot of important and helpful information in this book. Fake news is all too common, I definitely recommend this one!
June 28, 2025
This book is recommended for teens, but I definitely think adults could benefit from reading it. The author provides a history of fake news and how it’s impacted historical events, but she also provides tools to help you as the reader determine what is real and what is fake. Because we are all responsible for stopping the spread of misinformation.
December 27, 2022
Written for young adults but absolutely appropriate for adults, too. Great history, general info, and examples (real news screenshots, tweets, and so on) as well as a few activities/challenges to practice the skill of recognizing fake news or unreliable sources.
March 5, 2025
The author breaks down this history of fake news (which is a tale as old as ancient Egypt) and moves to more practical tips on how to spot fake news today.
I plan to use this as a digital literacy read for when my daughter is in high school.
It does go into our responsibility in sharing true, verified, and authentic news stories on social media.
I plan to use this as a digital literacy read for when my daughter is in high school.
It does go into our responsibility in sharing true, verified, and authentic news stories on social media.
December 8, 2025
I consider myself pretty savvy at spotting fake news, so I wasn’t sure how helpful this would be. While a few chapters were dedicated to checking sources, a lot of it was about the history and impact of fake news. It was really interesting and actually made me feel better about the state of the world. Useful, approachable and an incredibly important book everyone should read.
November 22, 2020
Petition to make this required reading for everyone everywhere? Read my review at www.dewsreviews.blogspot.com.
April 25, 2021
Cakala som nejake rady, ale to co mi tato kniha poskytla som uz davno vedela. Skor taka povrchna jazda historiou fake news.
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