Fake News Analysis
Web Analysis Post #2
Fake news is something that surrounds everyone everyday. It affects more than just people’s opinions, but decisions are made based upon false information that can be severely detrimental in more ways than one. Internetmatters.org talks about the rapid spread of fake news and the effects it has on the younger generation. “Children interviewed express a concern that when online they don’t know who to trust, what is real, and which forms of knowledge are true. Nearly all children are now online, but many of them are not emotionally equipped to deal with the challenges of a fake news online culture. We cannot stop our kids using the internet nor should we, it is an incredible resource. It is important then that we teach them some basic rules so they can feel confident in the facts they find online.”
Almost everyone is online now, therefore they have access to news and information. Many adults still are sucked up into the fake news by the catchy headlines and flashy information, but teaching all generations how to filter the real and fake news is one of the most important things we can do. Having reliable sources where you get your information from is one of the biggest things as many sources post what will get them the most attention while skewing the truth.
According to Peoplesbank.com there are three different types of fake news. Misinformation: Some spread false information without the intent to spread harm. People spreading misinformation believe it to be true before sharing it with others. Disinformation: People may spread information to cause harm or manipulate people. Disinformation describes actual lies that people tell for money, influence or to cause disorder. Malinformation: Information that may be true but is spread with malicious intent or taken out of context. Examples include divulging private information or manipulating facts to fit a false narrative.
Fake news can change your beliefs, attitudes and perception on certain things. These are the significant impacts and dangers that fake news has on anyone. It is so severe that there are consequences to publishing or spreading fake news.
The real question is how do you decipher fake news from real news? These helpful tips are not 100% always guaranteed to work, but are certainly steps in the right direction according to Peoplesbank.com:
- Think about the source
- Check the author
- Check the articles funding
- Check the comments
- Repost carefully
COVID-19 is a great example of fake news. Covid was new territory for everyone and took the world by storm as well as surprise when it hit. With that came false information about cures for covid, how it started and how it spread. The news and articles were full of fake news and it was hard to decipher what was real and fake. It is hard to believe that amidst a serious situation at the time, not all news sources were trying to release helpful information. Since everyone knew very little information about covid it was easy for readers to believe anything and everything that was being released about it. Overall, it’s important to double check your sources for news information. You can never be too careful. For the benefit of you and those around you, do thorough research to make sure that you are distributing the right information.
Here are five pictures and links to some stories. You decide if you think they are fake or real news.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20161115024211/http://wtoe5news.com/us-election/pope-francis-shocks-world-endorses-donald-trump-for-president-releases-statement/
- https://greatgameindia.com/coronavirus-bioweapon/
- https://fortune.com/2016/11/22/comet-ping-pong-hillary-clinton-fake-news/
