South Dakota Project Explores Information Trustworthiness in News Deserts
Eda Uzunlar, a Rapid City native and Fulbright scholar, is leading a project titled 'You Can Trust Me' in South Dakota. This initiative explores how people acquire and trust information, particularly in areas lacking professional journalistic outlets, often referred to as 'news deserts.' Uzunlar's research, which began during her time in Turkey, focuses on informal methods of news dissemination and the concept of 'discernment' within communities. She found that in the absence of professional journalists, people rely on trusted community members, family, and even social media groups like WhatsApp, which sometimes operate with their own rules and moderators, akin to small newsrooms. The project aims to understand these alternative information networks and their role in maintaining community cohesion and informed citizenry.
