FMC 2019/1

Fake news: What exactly is it – and how can you spot it?

By: James Carson, 28 sep 2018

"Fake news" was not a term many people used two years ago, but it is now seen as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate and the Western order.

As well as being a favourite term of Donald Trump, it was also named 2017's word of the year, raising tensions between nations, and may lead to regulation of social media.

And yet, nobody can agree on what it is, the extent of the problem, and what to do about it.

How do you spot it?

Spotting fake news isn't easy: a Stanford study last year found that students were shockingly bad at distinguishing between different types of material online, whether paid for, fake or legitimate.

Facebook has a useful list of ways to spot fake news, which include checking other sources and a site's URL.

Facebook’s tips for spotting fake news

1. Be sceptical of headlines. The headlines of fake news stories are often catchy, and contain lots of capital letters and exclamation marks. If claims in the headline sound unbelievable, they may well be.

2. Look closely at the URL. Many false news stories mimic authentic news sources by making small changes to the URL. You can go to the site to compare the URL to established sources.

3. Check the source. Ensure the story comes from a source with a reputation for accuracy. If the story comes from a site you have not heard of, check their “About” section to learn more.

4. Watch for unusual formatting. Many false news stories often contain spelling and grammar errors, as well as an awkward looking layout.

5. Check the photos. False news stories often contain manipulated images or videos. Sometimes the photo may be authentic, but taken out of context. You can do an internet search of the image to find out where it came from.

6. Check the dates. Fake news stories may contain timelines that make no sense, or event dates which are wrong or have been altered.

7. Check the evidence. Check the author‟s sources to confirm they are accurate. Lack of evidence, or a reliance on unnamed experts may indicate false news.

8. Look at other reports. If no other news source is reporting the same story, it could indicate that it is false.

9. Is the story a joke? Sometimes false news stories can be hard to distinguish from humourous articles. Check whether the source is known for parody, and whether the story‟s details and tone suggest it may be just for fun.

10. Some stories are intentionally false. Think critically about the stories that you read, and only share articles which you know to be credible. News stories are often described as so good you couldn't make it up, which is often what makes them great news stories. But it's worth expressing scepticism about everything: could this really happen?

Disponível em: . Access: 23 Oct, 2018. Adapted.

Glossary: threats: ameaças; sceptical: cético; mimic: copiar; awkward: estranho.