How to Spot Fake News

What is Fake News?

Fake news isn’t just making up stories and formatting them as articles or newscasts. Fake news can also be a story that lacks verifiable facts and sources. Some fake news stories have hidden propaganda or are simply clickbait designed to earn a publisher more money whenever someone clicks on the story. These are just some known types of fake news, and new types are cropping up all the time.

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What are Some Different Types of Fake News?

As the Internet and social media have become more ubiquitous, so has fake news. It’s important that you know some of the common types of fakes news to look out for. Some of these types are:

Satirical News

Satirical news uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule when discussing real-world topics and events. Outside of its comedic or exaggerated tone, you might be reading satirical news if the language lacks respect for the topics or people the article is about, if the article refers to what people are thinking instead of what they are saying, or if the article advocates for something unethical or illegal. Satirical news is fake, but it is not malicious—it is art and social commentary.

Misleading News

Misleading news articles typically cherry pick facts—or don’t include facts at all—to support the article. For example, if a publication writes a story about a government giving its citizens $10,000 checks, but the article never mentions that only certain groups of people qualify and what those qualifications are. Misleading news also occurs when a publication tries to pass off its own ideology or opinions as facts. Typically, these articles will come to a conclusion about a topic but never include any data or direct quotes to support it.

News with Poor Reporting Techniques

Sometimes, fake news is caused by human error. If a publication chooses to paraphrase what someone says instead of using a direct quote, they risk changing the quote’s meaning. If a publication uses quotes or information without verifying their validity, the publication risks promoting incorrect information. While this type of fake news is usually unintentional, it can still be harmful when people read it or share it.

Intentionally Deceptive News

Fakes news can also be intentionally deceptive when publications aren’t transparent about brand advertising or other professional associations (e.g., the publication’s ownership or board members). For example, if a publication writes about a car dealership helping its community by raffling off a new car but the article fails to disclose the publication is being paid to talk about it (what’s sometimes called an advertorial).

How Do You Spot Fake News?

Spotting fake news isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. Here’s a list of simple ways you can figure out if what you’re reading is real versus fake news.

1. Consider the source.

Check the veracity of the publication where the article originated. Search the name of the publication on a search engine to see if any background information appears. Click around on the publication’s website to see if they’ve published any other content, what type of other content they’ve published, and how long they’ve been publishing content. Reputable publications usually have contact information located somewhere on the website as well.

2. Read the full story.

Some fakes news articles have misleading headlines or headlines that overpromise and underdeliver when it comes to content. When you come across a news article online or on social media, read the entire article before sharing it with others—don’t just trust the headline. Make sure the story is supporting what the headline is saying. Sharing without reading is such a known issue that some social media platforms have started warning users who are about to share an article without clicking through and reading it first.

3. Check the supporting sources.

There are fake news articles that look legitimate because they include hyperlinks within the article. Click the different links and read through them. Make sure the content in the links support what the main article is saying. Does the article cite other interviews, research, or previously published articles? Did the story come from a news wire, or was it created from original reportage and research? News should be able to be verified.

4. Judge the tone.

Judging the tone of the article can help you decide if it’s fake news. If the content is too outlandish, blithe, or wry, it might be a satirical article. If the article’s language seems biased, it could be from a legitimate publication but may not be the best way for you to stay up to date on the topic. Everyone has biases, so you should acknowledge your own biases as well. Ask yourself if the topic really sounds outlandish or if you’re just biased toward it.

5. Verify with fact checkers

If you’re still unsure if you’re reading fake news after completing the above steps, reach out to experts or use fact-checking tools. Librarians and professors might be well versed in the article’s topic enough to know if the article is fake news. If they’re unsure, they might be able to tell you what resources you can use to check the article’s content. Independent fact-checking websites, like FactCheck.org and Snopes.com, can help you check the accuracy of an article’s content as well. Microsoft’s Bing search engine has a fact check indicator placed by different results so that you know if the article is fake news before you click on it.

Use the above tips to identify fake news so that you’re able to stay updated with real news.