Giving Compass' Take:

• In this podcast from the RAND Corporation, political scientist Jennifer Kavanagh and William P. Getty, president of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, discuss the consequences of truth decay on community engagement and resilience.

• How does truth decay and fake news intersect with each other? What are the most effective interventions to prevent the spread of false information and build more trust in the media?

• Here's how journalism can be an ally to the people and responsive governments.

In a recent op-ed published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, RAND President and CEO Michael D. Rich and political scientist Jennifer Kavanagh wrote about what they refer to as the Truth Decay Paradox. “Increasingly, detailed data and complex analysis are the foundation of decision-making in baseball and many other professions and occupations. One notable exception is political and civil discourse in modern life, and the public policymaking that accompanies it.”

Their research on Truth Decay showed that some of the greatest public policy failures in U.S. history occurred when insufficient attention was paid to available facts and data. Equally important, they found Truth Decay contributes to a growing disengagement of citizens from their government and the political process.

Read the full article about truth decay and community engagement by William P. Getty and Jennifer Kavanagh at the RAND Corporation.