Social media has paved the way to a vast number of information to pique the interests of their audiences. Some of them may seem entirely true or believable but the truth is, everything you read or come across social media isn’t entirely true. These pieces of information could be authentic news that have been manipulated, taken out of context or taken from false news sites. The news you perceive to be true could be layered with misinformation to confuse you. When people come across both verified news and fake ones, they tend to disregard the fact on whether it could either be true or false. That’s the power of false news.
False news covers a range of spheres, from political to environmental issues. They are meant to stir confusion within the minds of their readers via clickbait-y titles, satirical content, biased perspectives and so forth.
The biggest trick to see through all these is by adopting a critical thinking mind-set. When readers are critical - not to be confused with being petty - they are more likely to question published news and would look for the trusted sources. Here are some steps on how to filter out false news like a pro.
Step 1: Read through before you share
Let’s face it – many people tend to share articles with sensational headlines without reading the whole article prior to doing so. The title and pictures used to support the article could have proved it worthy enough to be shared or the statements in the headlines confirm what the readers believe thus shared around based on confirmation bias. It is always wise to read the entire article first before sharing it out
with everyone else.
Step 2: Check the credibility of the news
Often, false news is the result from bad journalism. The news sites could be fake, created overnight to project a certain propaganda or sway public opinion. Readers could look up the history of the news site, how long it has been in operation or the previous contents they have published. Printed news are easier to verify since they need publishing permits, but digital news sites are harder since they don’t need permits. Remember to also check the author, whether it was a representative of the news site or an independent writer. If there are any links stated as the supporting source for certain facts, click on those links and examine for yourself. Readers should also be wary of the dates on news articles. Certain news sites re-post old articles for the sake of getting more clicks. Do not fall victim to these tactics.
Step 3: Look for other sources with the same content focus
One tip to know if a piece of information/news is valid is to check on whether other sources are reporting it too. The contents do not necessarily have to be similar. It could be somewhat related to what you have read or come across. Trace their links to supporting articles too and check their validity. The best news outlets to double-check for these sources are official accounts from government bodies. Better yet, consult experts on these topics like researchers or consultants for these facts.
Step 4: Use fact-checking websites
If all else fails, use fact-checking websites for any kind of information. The good thing about these websites is that readers can easily confirm their own suspicions by accurately filtering through the abundant pieces of information available online. These fact-checking websites either provide an archive of the facts they’ve checked or regularly post the answers to the questions they receive. Some of the fact-checking websites available include FactCheck.org, Politifact.com, Snopes.com and
IFCN.
In this era where there is an overload of all kinds of information online, it’s easy to get lost in them, browse through or share them without a thought. People should be more careful of the information they read and share online. They should sharpen their critical thinking skills as they absorb and filter through what they read. Remember, the pen is mightier than the sword. Never take any information you share for granted.
Comments