In recent times, the term fake news has become increasingly relevant because its presence in the media is increasing and its social impact is increasing .
Two recent examples of this, of global magnitude, have been the spread of fake news related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the US elections. A flood of fake news !
These fake news stories are characterized by stories fabricated to fit a specific event, but exaggerating or omitting some of the truth. Therefore, there are no verifiable sources to support them.
Sometimes these stories may be propaganda intentionally designed to mislead people, or they may be designed as click magnets.
Whatever their origin or purpose, social media also plays a significant role in their dissemination due to the ease and speed with which they are shared.
Why are fake news a problem?
One thing is clear. Since the rise of social media platforms, the spread of fake news has grown by leaps and bounds. One of the reasons is that communication is almost immediate.
This way, anyone with a social media account not only becomes a consumer of information, but also a producer or replication of content . Be careful what you share!
The distribution of this type of news is very rapid because the platforms use an algorithm that shows you what you like most or what matches your interests. The flow of information on social media is constantly updated, not only based on its importance to the user, but also based on the interactions and relevance of the content. This makes information valid not only for its content but for its level of dissemination .
This makes fake news a problem for several reasons. First and foremost, it can be a danger to your safety. It can also be a problem for society because it can create an inflammatory climate, or at least a very sensitive one.
The vast majority of fake news is related to political or economic issues. However, no sector is immune to its presence.
Why are they disclosed?
Fake news works ideally as a click-through magnet. Therefore, many choose to publish it to attract web traffic… Although the effect will be the opposite when people realize the lack of credibility of the source they consulted .
On the other hand, fake news may also be accompanied by fraudulent links. This makes them the perfect bait to access your passwords or personal data. Therefore, it’s imperative to take measures to avoid falling for these links that can compromise your devices.
They can also redirect you to websites with malicious files. Be very careful where you put your attention!
Another issue you can’t overlook is data collection. Hackers can use fake news to add you to spam lists and even sell your information to third parties.
But sometimes, the reasons for its dissemination go much further… Within the political context, the propaganda apparatus is often able to create trends by spreading this fake news . This is possible because the speed at which this information is distributed means it is not properly verified.
Types of fake news
- Satire or parody: This type of information is not intended to cause harm or deception.
- Deceptive content: This involves the manipulated use of information to incriminate a person or company.
- Imposter content: This is the type of information that impersonates genuine sources.
- Fabricated content: This is new content that is false and has been specifically and specifically designed to deceive and harm.
- False connection: This is when the images, headlines and/or captions do not confirm the content.
- False context: When legitimate content is spread with false contextual information.
- Manipulated content: When genuine information or images are manipulated to deceive.
How to detect fake news ?
It’s true that combating fake news is difficult. And, as if that weren’t enough, experts say they won’t disappear from the internet for many years. Therefore, below we present some strategies so you can detect and avoid them yourself:
- Be wary of large, all-caps headlines: these types of headlines are designed to appeal to your emotions and generate interest on social media.
- Research the pages you visit: You can go to the “About…” section to find out information such as the editor’s ID or the address where the media outlet operates. Fraudulent sources generally don’t provide complete reference information.
- Confirm the news source: If the links shown as sources don’t work or redirect to unrelated pages, you’re most likely dealing with fake news . One strategy is to search for the cited quotes on Google or another search engine and verify that they were actually statements from the people to whom they were attributed.
- Find a local source and consult it: someone on the scene can provide crucial information. So, to the extent possible, always try to opt for sources you already know to be 100% reliable.
- Perform a reverse image search: Fake news often relies on out-of-context photographs to appear authentic. Search for these images on Google to verify whether the information provided is true.
Examples of fake news
A clear example of fake news relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the World Health Organization reported that during April 2020 alone, more than 360 million videos were uploaded to YouTube under the “COVID-19” category.
During that same period, more than 550 million tweets were written with terms like “coronavirus” or “pandemic.” The vast majority of them were filled with fake news !
What’s striking is that it’s not just ordinary social media users who are spreading false information amid the pandemic. Some prominent figures, such as Donald Trump and Nicolás Maduro, have also spread home remedies for COVID-19.
This is just a small sample of the endless possibilities of fake news , which, thanks to its widespread and rapid spread, end up seeming true , because “if everyone says it, it must be true.”
