Fake News: How Not To Read All About It
Fake news is real. Yes, that’s right, being lead into believing that bogus stories are the truth is something that so many Americans are guilty of each and every day. And do you know if you’re reading all about it? Can you say that you can spot fake news?
Well, as you can see in the infographic below, around 75% of the time, we believe fake news headlines! And that’s a lot. However, 39% of people do also say that they think they can detect fake news. But the problem is, as 2 in 3 people will confess, that fake news items can be so confusing when factoring in basic facts on current issues and events! So, how can you make sure that you’re able to stay away from fake news?
Watch Out For Clickbait
First of all, beware of the title! A lot of the times, a very sensational title is a big clue of clickbait. Fake news sites will try to lure you into their content so that they can make money from advertising revenue.
Check
So the next thing you can do, is just do some further research. Are other websites reporting the same thing? Are traditional and more reputable publications and websites also talking about it? Is there an expert (that you know is real) quoted in the news? If not, then you may find that what you’re reading is indeed fake news.
And It If Sounds Too Good To Be True…
It probably is!
For more information on fake news and how librarians are helping to weed it out, take a look at the infographic below.
