Real Vs. Fake News

              In an era plagued by the ability for anyone to pass along any story or information without validity, it is easy for many people to become misinformed with just about anything. Recently, this type of false information that is being spread across the internet has been coined as “fake news.” Fake news often comes from either misunderstanding information and spreading it, or a more politically charged place that can be perceived as trying to intentionally deceive people. Whatever the reason, “fake news” is out there and it is important to know about it and understand how to differentiate what is real and what is fake. Here are some tips:

Pay attention to the URL:

Often times, it is easy to spot fake news based on the site that it is published. Some news sources are more biased than others when it comes to politics, which can cause the facts to be skewed. Some “news” sources are just completely wrong altogether. Generally, a site that is labeled “.org” or that comes from a well-known and reputable site can be trusted. But it is important to know that some websites may seem valid and professional, but are not actually valid or professional. This is true for www.abcnews.com.co. While that URL looks totally fine, it actually using its resemblance to www.abcnews.com to misguide its viewers.

Read the “About Us” Section

This piece of a web site should deliver a mission statement (or something similar) and tell about the goals of the company. It should also list employees such as those in leadership roles for the website. Knowing WHO is publishing on that site is important in determining the validity of the news being presented. You can then use that information to do a little bit of your own detective work to research those names, which could help you find out if someone is falsely using that name to pass off information.

LOOK FOR QUOTES!

When passing along a news story, it is important to look for quotes, and if you notice a lack of quotes, either the story legitimately did not need them at all, or the news probably isn’t true and/or valid. For example, a news article could be covering a story on (just to use someone that everyone knows) Donald Trump. If the story says “Donald Trump said that Mexicans are all bad people,” but provides NO quotes from Donald Trump himself, then that story likely isn’t entirely true. (This is JUST an example-  I am not trying to pass that specific statement off as fact or fiction!) Quotes make a story stronger, so using quotes, especially when they are coming from someone who is involved in some way, can really help to classify something as real news.

Check the Comments:

A lot of times, fake news is presented through misleading titles and/or images in a way that is meant to grab someones attention on social media. In many cases, if other people have fallen victim to this tactic before you, they will comment on it and call it out as fake news. Generally, if many other people believe something to be embellished or fake news, it probably is.

So, to summarize, there are a few steps that you can take to be sure that the news you are receiving is real news. By asking yourself the following questions you can help to ensure that you are not receiving and/or spreading fake news:

1.      What is the URL?

2.      Who wrote it?

3.      What claims does it make?

4.      When was it published?

5.      How does it make you feel?

6.      Does it use quotes?

7.      Do other people think it’s “fake” news?