Fake news plays a major role in altering people’s perception. You can see this in many important sectors of the world like politics and health. This isn’t a very well-known fact. It might seem like something harmless. Although, in reality, it has affected how our world reacts.
Exchanging information is now easier than ever. But that also means, exchanging false information is just as easy.
With the rise of social media, every single person can voice out their opinions, and they do it rightfully so. But there are many people on the other side of the fence making the wrong use of these tools. They use them to spread misinformation. Naively, we take whatever we read online as it is, as if it is nothing but a fact.
The Journey of Fake News
False information influences people’s decision-making in the wrong direction. This could end up causing a lot of harm. Fake news might get shared by a group of people or a person trying to provoke a community. They do so for their benefit and for making others believe in the same things as them.
Such news is usually too provocative with the potential to go “viral”. It gets shared at such a large scale, that it becomes known to all. When several people are talking about it, it starts to feel legitimate. Then, people willingly accept it as a truth. It doesn’t take a lot of time then for people to initiate actions based on this false information. And once it is out in the mass population, it gets too late as the damage has already been done.
Blurred Lines Between Credible and Non-Credible News Sources
How do you keep yourself updated with current events? Is it through social media? WhatsApp forwards? Trending tweets?
Being informed through these sources has become the norm. This is usually where the problem lies. We have become so quick to accept the rumours, not even giving a second thought that it might be fake.
As times have evolved, so have the ways we keep ourselves updated. But has it been for the good? A lot of people have no idea how to distinguish between fake and real news.
Keeping yourself updated with the truth is extremely important. It helps you make the right decisions that have the power to change the world for the better.
For example, the case of the ongoing covid-19 pandemic. A lot of misinformation started floating around in the first few months. People started spreading conspiracy theories and hoaxes and sham cures. Can you imagine how detrimental that could potentially have been? The health and safety of people could have gotten compromised. What a difference it would make if each one of us was able to distinguish between credible and non-credible sources of news!
Fake News Travels Faster
“A lie can travel halfway around the globe, while the truth is still putting on its shoes”
An MIT study shows that:
- Fake news is 70% more likely to get retweeted than real news.
- It takes legitimate news six times longer to reach 1,500 people.
- Humans are more likely to share false news than bots that are programmed to spread such stories.
- False news is more novel which shows that there could be a relation between novel news getting shared more than factual, less novel news.
- Top 1% of the false stories reach between 1000 to 100,000 people. Whereas, true stories rarely reach more than 1000 people.
Another study found a relationship between people who believe in misinformation and the sources that they get their news from. Individuals who get their news updates from social media rather than print media are more likely to believe in fake news, which was especially the case during this pandemic.
Some Ways That Misinformation Has Affected Our Society
There have been many instances when the spread of fake news caused a stir and harmed the real world.
- Democracy – False information about political parties and events could impact how people vote. In fact, politics is one of the most prominent areas where fake news can be seen.
- Health – This is another common sector where fake news can be found, and more so now. From anti-vaccine theories to baseless cures, the health sector has seen it all.
- Business – A false negative news about a company can cause stock prices to plummet and affect the economy and in turn a lot of people.
- Racism – Unfortunately, this is already one heck of a problem in today’s world. And false negative information about someone from a targeted race can cause violence, terrorism, and hatred.
Last but not the least, the spread of fake news has eroded trust amongst each other and has made us doubt a lot of things. But sadly, it is here to stay. Even after some social media applications taking measures to curb it by limiting forwards and keeping track of what’s being shared, it still persists. It is hence, our duty to be careful and responsible.
Why Does Fake News Get Spread So Much?
Stories that might seem so obviously fake to you, could be believed by someone else, possibly someone very close to you, and vice versa. This is exactly why it is important to be updated with the real news.
Sharing a piece of information is a big responsibility. So, always be cautious when you do so. We share information because we might feel connected to the subject or to spread awareness about a topic or to stand up for something. Something seemingly harmless, moreover something that would seem like a good idea to share, could have the potential to snowball into something big.
Stay Updated, Stay Informed, and make the right choices!
Always be informed about the right things. Which is why we started The News Line. The idea to take this initiative was to help curb fake news and bring to you the resources with which you can do so.
