# Filter Your Email

Fake news. It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot these days, especially in political contexts. It is referred to media that by nature is incorrect or not true. Fake news is seen as one of the leading causes of the public not being as informed about the news as they should be. However, “fake news” is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mis- and disinformation. In turn, it is up to the consumer to be able to sift through what information is good and what is invalid. In her article [“Did Media Literacy Backfire”,](https://points.datasociety.net/did-media-literacy-backfire-7418c084d88d#.d46kox6e1) Danah Boyd explores how the ingrained distrust in media sources, self-segregation, and polarization are all leading causes of why there is so much misinformation being spread.
There is simply so much content out there that it falls on the reader to be responsible for what they count as reliable or not. In Claire Wardle’s article [“Understanding Information disorder”](https://firstdraftnews.org/long-form-article/understanding-information-disorder/), seven types of mis- and disinformation include satire, false connection, misleading content, false context, imposter content, manipulated content, and fabricated content. On top of all of that, the consumer also will use their own biases to sort through the news. What is called a “filter bubble” references how our algorithm will adjust to our preferences. Meaning that by only consuming media that supports our beliefs, we will thus be only provided with media that further supports our ideas and does not challenge our beliefs. This idea is explored in the Mental Model’s article [“How Filter Bubbles Distort Reality: Everything You Need to Know”](https://fs.blog/filter-bubbles/), and it further emphasizes how we will subconsciously view things as true whether or not they really have substance. This is because these articles that we read support our preconceived notions about particular topics. That is why it is up to us to be responsible for what we consume. Taking steps such as filtering your email can help to limit the spread of false information. Taking accountability for the role that you play in the world of “fake news” is important and can help you search for more reliable sources.

## Email Filtering

To filter emails on Outlook 365 you would follow these steps:

1. Click on settings; select "View All Outlook settings" then click "Rules"
2. Click "Add new rule" and name it
3. Add the condition
4. Add an action
5. Run the rule by first unchecking "Stop processing more rules" and select "Run rule now"
6. Save and then dismiss this dialogue

## Filtering Email for Northeastern News

Following these steps, I filtered my own personal email. To do this, I followed all these steps listed above. I began by opening up the Outlook 365 mail application. Then, I added a new rule named "NU News". The condition that I added was that it would be from "[e-mail]" and the action would be to select "Move to" a "New folder" that I named "NU News".


After this is done, all the emails that I have and will receive from "[e-mail]" will be found in this folder. Below you can see what my other folders look like on my email screen.


It is so important to take steps like filtering your email to be aware of what news you are receiving. Only limiting yourself to one news source can be problematic. By only allowing one perspective, you are limiting yourself and failing to challenge your beliefs. Having multiple folders that have different news sources can be the first step to creating a more inclusive mindset with it comes to media consumption.

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