3 Ways to Recognize Fake News and the Only Way to Stop It From Spreading

Every day, there are numerous cases of fake deaths, hoaxes, and false claims written online. Every week another celebrity is reported as deceased when they are alive and well. Poor Willie Nelson.

Daily, I read articles from sketchy sources being shared on social media. This simple and mindless act is spreading false information quicker than TMZ picks up a story of an intoxicated celebrity.

Fake news is news that cannot be verified by reputable sources.

Why would someone write a fake news article? Money. When you click on these articles, chances are the creator of the article is making revenue. Every time you click and share this content, you are selling that content and making the author money.

If we do our research and resist the urge to click the share button, we can prevent the spread of fake news online.

1. Don’t judge an article by its title

Some people will get so excited to be the first person to share a “big news story”, that they will click the share button without even reading the content!

Keep in mind this is your social media account. If you’re not educating yourself on what you’re sharing, you risk putting information on your profile that is inaccurate.

• Before you share anything, look at the URL and if you don’t recognize it, google search the title of the article online.

• Conduct some research to see if the title is telling the truth. This saves you from reading fake news. Also, your “click” will not give money to a false news outlet.

• Some fake news articles will use the word “report” in their headline. An example of this would be: “Report: Robots Are Capable of Reproducing”. This technique is used because the word “report” indicates this information was reported by another news outlet. Therefore, the writer feels that this excuses them from any culpability if the news is found to be untrue.

Use your instincts, if the title sounds outlandish or untrue, it is probably fake news.

2. Utilize tools to verify news stories

Did you know that there is a website that has information on what the latest internet hoaxes are? Snopes is a fact-checking resource that has been challenging fake information since 1994.

If you click here to go to Snopes, you can search for a news topic and there will be information on the story and if it is fact or fiction.

Ask yourself some important questions before sharing

Many times people open an article, read it, believe it, and then share it. This is a big mistake.

The truth is, anyone can write anything they want to on the internet.

The harsh reality is when you share something online without verifying the validity of the content, you are a part of the problem.

The best way to detect false information is to ask yourself questions about the piece before sharing.

• Do you recognize the author of the article? Is there information on the author’s background and expertise in the article?

• Check for the ending of the website’s URL: .gov, .edu, .mil, and .org are more credible than websites that end in .com, .net, and others.

• Are there direct quotes being used in the article? Quotes provide more credibility in an article.

• Is the article biased ? If it is, you should research the information further.

3. Stop sharing unsubstantiated articles

Fake news spreads misinformation and undue panic. It causes global anxiety and gives money to people who don’t deserve it. These people are using the nativity of their readers to make themselves rich.

The only way to stop the spread of fake news is for us to stop sharing content that hasn’t been verified as the truth.

If you don’t have time to research the truth behind an article before you share it, I would suggest not clicking that share button.

Check your ego and stop thinking about being the first person to share new information. Always think before you share and do your research.

After all, If the content you’re sharing has no basis in reality, what is the point of sharing it?

Amy Cottreau is a freelance writer who hails from a small city in Atlantic Canada. She enjoys interacting with fellow writers, dreaming of ideas for her next article, and researching a myriad of topics.