How to Spot FAKE NEWS, Propaganda and Conspiracy Theories
by Michael Corthell
What is the best way to find out if something you read online, in a newspaper or on television is accurate and not fake? You fact-check it. But how you ask? How hard is that to do?
In my mind it's not very hard at all, especially when I think back to when I was in high school, and had to do all my research at the school or public library using the card catalog system.
If you can Google it, you can fact-check it, but be SKEPTICAL!
Take a look at this quick guide to spotting FAKE NEWS.
1. Read Past The Headline
One way that fake news gets amplified is that busy readers may not look past the headline or opening paragraph before they decide to share an article. Fake news publishers sometimes exploit this tendency, writing the beginning of a story in a straightforward way before filling in the rest with obviously false information.
In other cases, clicking through to the article will reveal that the story really has nothing to do with the headline at all or provides nothing to back it up.
2. Check What News Outlet Published It
Unfamiliar websites plastered with ads and all-caps headlines should draw immediate skepticism.
Googling a site’s name and checking out other articles it posts should also help determine whether it’s trustworthy.
Many fake news sites will say upfront that they are satire sites or don’t contain factual information, but others are made to mimic major news outlets. Check the URL names of pages that look suspect, making sure that it’s not a hoax site that is pretending to be a trusted source.
3. Check The Publish Date And Time
Another common element in fake news is that old articles or events can resurface and lead people to believe they just happened. Checking the publish time stamp is something readers can quickly do to prevent being misled.
Sometimes, however, finding out when an event happened can take a bit more work ― such as when the date of an article is current, but the events described within it are old. Click through links and read carefully to determine when the event described actually happened.
4. Who Is The Author?
Looking at who wrote the article can reveal a lot of information about the news source. Searching through the author’s previous articles can show whether they are a legitimate journalist or have a history of hoaxes.
5. Look At What Links And Sources Are Used
A lack of links or sources for claims in an article is an obvious warning sign that the post is likely false. Fake sites may also provide numerous links to sites that appear to back up their claims but are themselves spreading misinformation. Check to see that claims supported by links actually come from reliable sources.
6. Look Out For Questionable Quotes And Photos
It’s incredibly easy for fake news writers to invent false quotes, even attributing them to major public figures. Be skeptical of shocking or suspicious quotes, and search to see if they have been reported elsewhere.
Likewise, it’s easy to take a photo from one event and say it’s from another. Images can also be altered for a certain story. Reverse image searches, either through Google or tools like TinEye, can help you find where an image originated.
7. Beware of Confirmation Bias
People are often drawn to stories that reinforce the way they see the world and how they feel about certain issues. Fake news is no exception, and many of the articles that fall under its umbrella are designed to stir up emotion in readers and prey on their biases.
It’s important to check that news stories are based on fact, rather than sharing them because they support one side of an argument or bolster pre-existing political beliefs.
8. Search If Other News Outlets Are Reporting It
If a story looks suspicious or claims to reveal major news, search to see if other news outlets are also reporting the story. A single article from a suspicious source making a grand claim should be viewed with heavy skepticism. If no reliable news outlets are also reporting the story, then it’s very likely fake.
9. Think Before You Share
Fake news sites rely on readers to share and engage with their articles in order for them to spread. In extreme cases, these fake articles can balloon out of control and have unintended consequences for those involved in the stories.
After fake news stories claimed that Hillary Clinton was sexually abusing children at a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant, the business owner and his employees received death threats and vicious online harassment. The staff is still under attack even though these false claims have been debunked.
More Resources For Spotting Fake News:
Secrets and lies: The psychology of conspiracy theories
Why are conspiracy theories appealing to so many people? Are some people more likely to believe conspiracy theories than others? Do conspiracy theories make people feel better? What are the psychological and social consequences of conspiracy theories? Is it possible to reduce belief in conspiracy theories?
Millions of people disbelieve official explanations for significant political and social events in favour of alternative accounts that are often called ‘conspiracy theories’.
For example, well-known conspiracy theories contend that the 9/11 attacks were an 'inside job', that climate change is a hoax, and that Princess Diana was murdered by the British government.
Conspiracy theories like these are very popular - about half of the population believes at least one - and in recent years psychologists have begun to investigate what makes these conspiracy theories appealing to so many people.
Karen Douglas, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Kent, will talk about what research has discovered so far, and will outline her own program of research on the psychology of conspiracy theories.
Does the fact that you believe that the moon landing was staged and that the Earth flat makes you feel unique and stand out in our social group? Food for thought.
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