Editorial: How to be smarter than fake news
Call it “fake news,” call it “lies,” call it anything you’d like. Stories about world leaders and presidents-to-be that are completely bogus are nothing new, but those still reeling from the presidential election may have you believing otherwise.
In the days immediately following Donald Trump’s surprise victory over Hillary Clinton, media outlets scrambled to figure out how they got it all so wrong. One theory argued that a substantial swath of voters were seriously misinformed and persuaded by fake articles masquerading as journalism thanks to their prevalence on Facebook. President Barack Obama has commented with concern, but it doesn’t appear that real steps are being taken to curb these viral imposters
The American people should demand better from those who are willing to exploit partisan affiliations and everyday fears for a quick buck and some web traffic — but more importantly, the American people needs to demand better from the American people. Fake news is not the problem in and of itself; when we begin to believe it is when the real trouble begins.
If you’ve been on Facebook at all this past month, you’ve probably seen your fair share of fake news stories, and maybe you believed some of them. But before you click that “Share” button and launch into a tirade about Clinton moving to Canada, try following some of these guidelines to ensure you’re not just passing along outright lies.
- Research is at your fingertips
If you’re old enough to vote, you’re more than old enough to perform a quick Google search and see if something is true or not. Corroborate what you’re reading with another source, or run the risk of taking a fake news site at its word.
- Ask questions about the article
You don’t have to be a journalism major to see that a piece is lacking facts. Keep an eye out for direct quotations and better sources than “sources report.”
- Check the outlet
You’ve heard of The Washington Post and CNN, but have you ever heard of “departed.co”? Probably not, because it’s a fake news site that was created just a few months before the election, per the New York Times. That doesn’t mean that old outlets are always right or don’t have partisan problems, or that newer ones are illegitimate, but what’s important is that you do some research on where you’re getting the news from as well as what they’re saying.
- Read other articles on the same site
Maybe you’ll see a story that sounds real, but you’re not sure about the source. Taking a deeper look into everything else they’re publishing will show you how strict their policy is on truth. Any fake news on the same site should make you call all of its integrity into question.
- If it sounds too crazy to be true, then it often is
This is just a general rule of thumb, although it’s not always going to be right. After all, Trump becoming president was just a joke on The Simpsons 16 years ago, so somewhat strange things do sometimes happen.