Be Careful With Spreading Fake News
Fake news is misleading information that is distributed to make money from it.
It has been around for a long time, but with the rise of social media, it is spreading at breakneck speed.Manipulating visual material is becoming increasingly sophisticated and also increasingly difficult to distinguish from real.
Why do people spread fake news, how do you recognize it, and what role do you play yourself?
How do you recognize fake news?
Ask yourself the following questions before you share a message:
- Who has send the message?
- What is the intention of the messenger?
- Which technic is used?
- Is there a possibility to verify authenticity?
- Which source has been used?
- Is it really, really true?
- Can there be multiple truths?
- Is the image or video really from this event?
Learn to recognize the techniques used.
Check the provided image on Google image search
Check the movie on YouTube
Why do we believe fake news?
We often judge on a whim on social media, and when we see that many people share a message, we unconsciously think it will be true.
What is the role of the filter bubble?
If you liked a lot of certain messages on social media, the filter bubble will take effect. The Facebook algorithm for example, will think, hey, he likes this type of message, and gives you more and more of the same kind.
Why do people spread fake news?
The more people click on an article, the more money the makers get because of the advertisements shown. And a catchy, sensational headline often produces many "clicks". And so a lot of money. We call this clickbait. People also make fake news to influence opinions, for example in the run-up to elections.
What is your role?
Before you like certain news on social media, you need to verify if the news is authentic.
Before you write an article about another online offer you need to dive into it and check if it's really a scam. You cannot simply copy a scam message with impunity from another. After all, you do not know whether the other person has looked at it properly.
Spreading fake news and accusing others of being scammers can get you deeply into legal trouble.
10 types of fake news
- Propaganda - Often distributed by governments to manipulate positions.
- Activist - Only facts that fit the story are shared.
- Clickbait - striking sensational headlines. Content, title and headline do not match
- Complot theories - Simplified explanation of complex issues.
- Sponsored Content - Advertising that looks like a thought out article.
- Pseudo science - Experts are contradicted and serious research is called into question.
- Satire and hoax - Ridicule people and undermine the real truth.
- False information - Tampered with content, location and facts. Content is forged.
- Incorrect information - Reputable news agencies also make mistakes. Wrong attribution, sometimes images are linked to the wrong content or person.
- Nonsense - Complete made up stories. Websites or profiles that are supposedly from a well-known brand or person.
What is the danger of fake news?
Fake news often sets people against each other. It is polarizing and promotes unrest in the society. Misleading and fake news can completely destroy someone.
Recent Comments
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*** super post, Loes! ... good to see you here today! ....
just a fleeting thought -- with the advent of AI -- it could also be 'bots' programmed .... ?
keep well, keep happy!
all the best, cheerio ... :) ***
Yes, bots can do more and more, even spreading fake news, if the people behind the bots like to disable an opponent
.... i guess there's pros & cons to everything in this duality world of contrasts that we still live in ...
... there are some real advantages of hi-tech -- such as the weekly webinars with Jay where members around the world can link in simultaneously for the training -- so Awesome!
... and yet there's this other side that you've presented today ...
well, we can only hope for the best and that advances can only be a positive contribution to human development ....
here's to hoping and good wishes .... :)
Loes, you hit that one on the head! I have just about stopped looking social media for this very reason.
Great post and thanks for posting.
Joe
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Really interesting Loes and I have stepped back from reading most of the news because I really do not know what to believe anymore and this directly relates to Brexit. I dont even discuss it with family members because it causes so many arguments but the newspapers and online reporting is so biased it is impossible to know what is the truth. So many axes to grind, so many pockets lined, I cant read it anymore.
Everyone talks their own way Helen