Brief Eight: Misinformation and Fact Checking

 Understanding Misinformation

Growing up, if I said anything slightly far-fetched or ridiculous, my dad would sarcastically say, "Oh did you read that on the internet? Then it must be true". 

As a teenager, I was offended that he never believed whatever obvious nonsense that came out of my mouth, but now as a young adult, I understand his skeptical perspective against information from the internet, specifically social media.

Misinformation is defined as "false or inaccurate information, especially that which is deliberately intended to deceive". Unfortunately, misinformation (most commonly known as "fake news") has become a common disruption within social media. Fake news is widely shared across social media, and it's important to know how to fact-check and protect yourself from believing false information. 

How to Protect Yourself from Fake News

Fake news is rampant on social media. Although surrounding yourself with reliable news sources and remaining diligent in understanding current events is important, it does guarantee a "fake news" free zone. 

Before we can understand how to protect ourselves from fake news, we must equip ourselves with the reality of social media and how our news outlets really impact our lives. 

According to a Pew Research Study, 86% of people reported that their source of news came from their smartphone. Stemming from this point, it is easy to see how and why fake news has become such a common occurrence in the world. Because of the interactivity and commitment, people pledge to their phones, it only makes sense that we receive our news from them as well. And while it may be convenient, it is also dangerous. 

Another reason fake news is so popular is that it is not limited to just one platform. Fake news extends from legitimate news sources to our social media platforms, where people can talk about anything, without any credible sources to back themselves up. TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube are all huge platforms for people to deliver misinformation without resistance. 

The reason fake news has and will continue to create a prominent place within social media is simply that the social media sites have no interest in regulating it. Why? Because fake news gets likes, comments, and shares- the more outrageous and false, the better. 

Platforms profit from outrageous posts, because no matter what the reaction is, there will be a response on the social media site. 

Because fake news is so rampant, it can be difficult to decipher what is fact and what is fiction. This is generally a difficult task because misinformation can be disguised as news and fact. 

Tips for Finding Fake News

Some of the best ways to analyze posted updates as factual news or fake news can be done in a few, quick steps. 

First, look to see who posted it. Are they credible sources? Do they have reliable sources of information? Asking these two questions can help you quickly see if a page has a trustworthy platform to post factual information. 

Second, read beyond the headline and understand what caught your attention about this particular story. Was the outrageous headline the reason you clicked? Take this into consideration before claiming it as fact. Reading further than the headline will give you some insight as to what the whole story is, rather than considering the full story is featured in the headline. 

One of the next best steps is to review the author and their credibility as well. Fact check the author as well as the story, if a "factual story" is written by an untrustworthy author, you have reason to question whether the story is based on misinformation or not. Another thing to consider is the author's intentions behind the post. As previously stated, fake news gets views and shares, and in social media, that's the main goal: to interact with people and create a following. Sharing ridiculous posts to gain followers is a real motive behind misinformation, so it's important to know who you're listening to.

Although there are several other steps you can take to further your research and fact-check a post, these are simple and effective ways to ensure you do not rely on false or misinformation. Remember, not everything you read on the internet is true!