Friday, March 29, 2019

Spotting Fake News



FactCheck.Org is a website dedicated to stopping the spread of misinformation. In one of their featured post “How to Spot Fake News,” Eugene Kiely and Lori Robertson tell Media consumers how they can be on the lookout for “fiction, satire, and efforts to fool readers” disguised as news. They accomplish this by explaining the red flags of fake news such as anonymous authors and lack of sources. Factcheck.Org advises their readers to look past suggestive headlines and pay attention to details such as the author, date, and sources for validity. The authors back up their advice with real-life examples of types of fake news to be on the lookout for. For example, the article alludes to a time when many people fell for the satirical headline “Obama Signs Executive Order Banning The Pledge Of Allegiance In Schools Nationwide.” If  people would have continued reading the full article, they would have seen that it quoted an imaginary source “Fappy the Anti-Masturbation Dolphin.” 


Although fake news is not always easy to spot, Factcheck.Org has numerous articles dedicated to fact-checking and debunking false stories in the media. The website even offers an “ask a question” link where people can submit stories to be checked out by professionals. Websites like FactCheck.Org are a valuable resource in a time where fake news is everywhere. 
[2 Pictures, 2 Links. 4 Quotations, 220 Words]

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