The spread of false information escalated ever since the internet was widely available to all. But, it is not something new at all.
We are all, at most times, just one hand distance away from our devices. This creates a great opportunity for people who spread these kinds of news. We consume so much throughout the day. But how much of what we consume is legit information?
Fake news can look different from one fake news to another. They come in various forms and have different intentions. Some just want you to click on the news whereas some want you to make decisions based on it
44% of Americans get their news from Facebook. In such an era, it is highly advised to understand the kinds of fake news and how to avoid them.
Escaping social media is difficult, so let’s try and understand its consequences and work on them.
Inspired by First Draft’s projects, listed below are the kinds of fake news that are prevalent today:
- False Connection / Context
This is the type of news where the headlines, captions, and visuals do not support the rest of the content. Clickbait is a form of false connection. It is intended to lure the reader or consumer by making it seem like novel news. Once the reader gets to the actual content, they realize that it was clickbait.
False context is the type of false information where a part of the news might be true. But it has been drawn out of its original context to give it a completely new meaning.
Real-life example –
One such instance was when a Twitter user with around 400 followers posted a picture of buses that he thought were taking people to anti-Trump rallies. In reality, it was not related to that at all. But the post got shared more than 370,000 times.
Ways to prevent it –
- Read further than just the headline
- Do not share it without reading the entire post
- Report the content if possible
- Manipulated Content
This type of news consists of real information that is manipulated in order to deceive the reader. It can be a part of propaganda, political influence or to provoke the consumers. Real images and videos can be manipulated to create a false narrative. This can include removing certain elements from the original image or adding a person or thing. Just a small change can have a huge impact.
Ways to prevent it –
- Check the news sources
- Observe if the language used is provocative or personal
- Wait for some time before you share any news
- Satire / Parody
This kind of news has no intentions of causing harm. The information is delivered in a humorous or exaggerated way to grab peoples’ attention. They cannot be seen in mainstream media channels. They are broadcasted on entertainment channels. By giving the news a humorous touch, they are mostly critiquing political figures, economics, or social affairs.
Often, while consuming this type of news, the disclaimers given by the shows are lost. So, it is important to not take it as the final word.
Ways to prevent it –
- Understand that it is for entertainment purposes only
- Check legit news sources for proper information
- Do not form opinions based on it
- Misleading Content
This is the kind of content that is purposefully used for misleading the consumer in order to frame someone or a situation.
In 2016, Google took down around 1.7 billion ads as it violated its advertising policies. This figure was double of its previous year, i.e., 2015.
Misleading content is that which does not truthfully represent the concern being talked about. It could potentially be hiding important information about the event with the goal of misleading the consumer.
Ways to prevent it –
- Check the news sources for authenticity
- Do not commit or purchase without being provided all the necessary information
- Avoid ads/content that claim to be “#1”, “better than”, “best” or similar vocabulary without any solid proof
- Imposter Content
When a news source falsely uses a popular individual or organization’s name to fool people into believing that their content is authentic. This is when genuine sources are impersonated. It can be a part of propaganda, or to profit, or for parody.
Ways to prevent it –
- Check authentic news sources
- Check the person’s or organization’s verified accounts or interviews
- Do not share it further without its authenticity confirmation
- Fabricated Content
This kind of news is 100% false and has intentions to cause harm, deceive, and manipulate. Unlike parody news, there is no disclaimer from the author or presenter in fabricated news. Since there is no disclaimer, it is even more likely to be believed.
Ways to prevent it –
- Rely only on authentic news sources
- Report the content
- Check for supporting sources
Conclusion
When first exposed to content that is manipulative, it can generate feelings of anger and fear. But, when consuming content online, it is mandatory to stay mindful of its ability to be false.
Keep yourself safe by being updated and informed!
It is our genuine effort to keep you informed by providing the needed resources to combat fake news.
