Fake News - a spotters guide #1

What is Fake News?

Fake news, alternative facts, click-bait, dodgy data, biased reporting, propaganda, conspiracy theories, cash for comment, 'post-truth world', are all things you have probably heard about. But what what do we mean when we say "fake news"?

Fake news can be:

• Manipulative - stories designed to trick you into believing something that you probably wouldn't normally believe or agree with.
• Made up - usually just to get you to click a link. Usually to get you to look at an ad, or to encourage you to go to a website that might host a virus, spyware or malware.
• Lazy reporting - the people making the news might not take the time to check their facts
• Sensational headlines that don’t relate to the story
• Well-intentioned, but misinformed - again, they might not be taking the time to check their facts
• Over simplified - simple stories are easy to read so suck people in, but they don't tell the whole story.
• Satire – joke stories for entertainment

Fake news twists the truth to get you to believe something that is not really true. Or, if it is true, is not the whole story. Because it looks like real news, fake news can be passed around making it harder for everyone to know what is true and what is not.

If you are not sure if something is real or not it is important to check before you pass it on to a friend or use it in an assignment.