Wikipedia defines fake news as “a form of news consisting of deliberate disinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional news media (print and broadcast) or online social media.”
In the early days of the Internet, fake news spread like wildfires in the form of rumors and hoaxes. These stories went mostly unchecked primarily because there was not an easy way to check their validity. Technology has evolved dramatically since the days of dial-up Internet access. Unfortunately, fake news did not disappear like the modems of the mid-90s.
There are so many factors that contribute to the spread of misinformation on the modern Internet. The first is the ease in which the average person can create a website, podcast, or post.
Second is the level of anonymity people have when posting. Some individuals are emboldened, knowing that their identity is hidden when online.
Social media and the algorithms that determine what content is presenting to you in your social media feeds play a huge role as well. The more time you spend looking at news from questionable sources, the more stories from similar sites will be shared with you.
All of these have combined to allow for “fake news” to go viral much faster and reach so many more people than before.
While Internet hoaxes may seem harmless, the spread of misinformation is quite alarming. It can polarize perceptions and distort people’s ability to make an informed decision. The scary part is that some people do not even know they are being misled. There are several simple strategies you can use to increase your knowledge and limit the spread of misinformation.
Snopes.com
Snopes is one of my most favorite websites. This is the first place I check when I hear about something that seems too outlandish to be true. The team behind Snopes.com has been verifying or debunking hoaxes, rumors, and Internet mischief since 1994. Staffers investigate viral stories that spread through websites, emails, and text messages. The team uses a system of ratings to classify the stories based on their research. There are fourteen ratings ranging from “True,” “False,” “Unproven,” “Misattributed,” and even “Legend.” Along with the rating, readers can see the underlying reasons and any additional information behind the story.
For example, I had recently heard that someone predicted Kobe Bryant’s helicopter tragedy in a tweet from 2012. Checking Snopes, I was able to verify that this did, in fact, happen. The site not only had a picture of the tweet in question but had also contacted Twitter and the author of the tweet to verify authenticity. Snopes staffers outlined the evidence in a clear, easy to understand format.
The next time someone forwards you a viral email, or you hear a crazy rumor, head over to Snopes.com and click the Hot 50 link at the top. The Hot 50 is a list of trending stories on the web. TruthorFiction.com and LeadStories.com are similar to Snopes. They tend to cover stories across a wide variety of genres, and both sites use algorithms to push trending stories to the front page.
FactCheck.org
FactCheck is like Snopes, but it is hyperfocused on political issues. The site covers topics such as the election, the FDA, Congress, proposed bills, and laws. This site is perfect for digging into the things you hear on TV or read online. FactCheck typically lays out the information in bulleted, easy to digest segments with links to where the data was gleaned from. There are several similar political fact-checking sites on the Internet, such as PolitiFact.com and FullFact.org (UK based). I prefer FactCheck.org for its clean look and feel coupled with the unbiased way in which the information is presented.
Newsguard
Sites like the ones mentioned above are fantastic when you’re highly skeptical about something you’ve seen or heard online. The problem is that some false information is presented in such a believable way that you may not even consider the possibility that it is actually fake news. Newsguard is an extension or plugin for your favorite web browser designed to help you spot misleading information. After you install the free software, you will see green, yellow, or red icons next to news-related links on search engines and social media. The rating icons provide you with a rating based on the credibility and transparency of the site. Newsguard states the “ratings signal if a website follows basic journalistic standards or instead has a hidden agenda or knowingly publishes falsehoods or propaganda.” This handy feature resides inside your browser, so it doesn’t slow your computer down. The icons stand out, making it easy to see which sites are trustworthy and which websites should be skipped altogether. Newsguard works on thousands of online media outlets. Sites that are not considered a news outlet may not receive a rating. You can use FactMata.com to check any link on the Internet for general integrity.
Kids Need Help Too
The adults I spoke with about this topic stated that children were much more adept at spotting fake news because they have grown up using technology. This assumption could not be further from the truth. Students are one of the worst groups at detecting fake news.
Recent studies have shown that middle and high school students struggled to distinguish the difference between real news stories and paid sponsor branded content.
Google is attempting to educate students with their “Be Internet Awesome” curriculum. The website is intended for children ages eight to twelve. Be Internet Awesome teaches students topics such as cyberbullying, spotting misinformation, and personal privacy using a game-based approach.
Schools all over the world have begun using this free resource as one way to teach students better habits online. You can have your children play for free by searching for “Be Internet Awesome” in any web browser. Older students can visit the News Literacy Project at Newslit.org for content that is better suited for young adults. NewsLit teaches students how to look for slant in stories, identify misinformation, and question the source behind the information they are reading. Teachers will continue to address this concern in class, but parents should consider having similar conversations at home.
Summary
Fake news is not going away any time soon. There are organizations creating tools that use machine learning and artificial intelligence to scrub the Internet clean of fake news. Opposite of that, other companies are using that same technology to create content that looks all too real. Google “deepfake videos” to see an example of what this technology can do. There is no end in sight. The best way parents can address this is to be aware of misinformation, use trusted sources, and teach children to do the same thing. The website and tools above can help start the conversation.
Mike Daugherty is a husband, father of three young children, author, speaker, Google Innovator, and possible Starbucks addict. He is a certified educational technology leader who has served in a variety of roles through his twenty-year career in public education. Currently, Mike is the Director of Technology for the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School district in Northeast Ohio. As an IT director he has developed creative, well thought out solutions that positively impact teaching and learning.