Worldwide news.

A combination of garlic and oil of oregano will cure anthrax. A man on the upper floors of the World Trade Center rode the collapsing building to the ground and survived. And Snapple, the drink company, is owned by Osama bin Laden.

These all have one thing in common: They are totally untrue, part of a flood of falsehoods unleashed in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In this, the first American war of the 21st century, new media such as the Internet and satellite television are transforming the way information is spread.

Some see the new media as a chance to bypass the filter of traditional media, and the propaganda efforts of both the U.S. and the Taliban. But the unfiltered new media are boosting the spread of misinformation and rumor to new levels.

"The danger is that if it appears on the Internet, people think it might be true," says Robert Greenan, online project manager for the Foreign Policy Association in New York.

Here, however, are some of the best of the alternative sources:

* Under the heading "Rumors of War," Urban Legends Reference Pages authoritatively debunks myths and misinformation from all media sources at www.snopes2.com.

* For an overseas perspective, try the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) Web site at news.bbc.co.uk.

* For a good digest of domestic and international war coverage, go to The Atlantic Monthly's Hotline World Extra at www.TheAtlantic.com/hotline/.

* An Arab viewpoint can be found in the Cairo newspaper Al-Ahram, which offers a weekly edition in English at www.ahram.org.eg/weekly.

* Pakistan's most respected English-language newspaper, Dawn, is published online daily at www.dawn.com.

* For TV viewers, try the BBC or ITN World News (now on many PBS stations). Arabic speakers with satellite TV can tune to Al Jazeera, the Arabic-language station that has broadcast unedited videos of bin Laden.

FOCUS: Dispelling Rumors and Searching for New Sources of News

TEACHING OBJECTIVES

To help students understand how monumental events may give rise to rumor and false news reports, how new media such as the Internet and satellite TV are changing the way people receive news, and why alternative sources of news can help provide a different perspective on controversial events.

Discussion Questions:

* Why do you think two news organizations covering the same event may produce reports that emphasize different perspectives of that event?

* Which news source--newspapers, television, or the Internet--do you believe offers more complete coverage of important events?

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES

Before Reading: You might introduce discussion of the power of rumor and erroneous news reports by linking the issue to students' worlds. Remind students that some people gossip about the behavior or personal lives of others. Have they ever heard students discuss uncorroborated stories about the behavior or personal lives of other students or teachers?

Critical Thinking: Next, turn to "Worldwide News." Have students examine the rumors in the first paragraph of the article. Ask these questions: If these stories were accurate, would they have been reported in the mainstream news media? What does the fact that they were not reported by reputable news organizations suggest? Ask students why they think stories like these spread. If they do not respond, or if they seem uncertain about how to answer, refer them to their own experiences of hearing unfounded stories about students, teachers, people in their community, or the larger world. Do bizarre stories survive because of the fascination or entertainment value they provide?

Students may understand how unfounded stories circulate, but they still may not understand why reliance on rumor can be dangerous, as Robert Greenan of the Foreign Policy Association warns. Not all rumors are as harmless as Osama bin Laden owning Snapple. Explain that access to accurate information is critical to the maintenance of democracy. Tell students that disinformation is one of the hallmarks of dictatorships. Citizens' loss of faith in the news can evolve into a loss of faith in government and society. Should that occur, it becomes easier for purveyors of falsehood to gain power.