Over the years, we grew up relying on what’s the news. In most cases, it influences the way we live—or do our tasks on a daily basis. Thus, it also affects our products such as our plans just like when you plan to go on a picnic but the news states that it’s going to rain, so the plan will be canceled.
There are many ways how we hear, listen, and react to a variety of news depending on if it is a good or a bad one. On the other hand, for as long as there has been news, there is also news that can both deliberately and unintentionally contains misinformation. It’s like a virus that is not going away no matter how much we suppress it. But it doesn’t mean it can’t be avoided.
Fake News Are Compelling
There are certain reasons why people fell into the trap of fake news. And we can’t really put all the blame on them if they believe in it because there are instances where this fake news seems legit unless you deep dive and dissect to know it’s fake. Today, the best way to spread fake news is via social media platforms because this is where millions of users spend their time. And when it’s released on social media, chances are, it can spread like a wildfire.
And before you get compelled by fake news, here are some tips that might be useful for you to spot one and ways for you to avoid them!
Consider Why The News Has Spread
Before you join the bandwagon of reacting to the news through comments and sharing news you read online, take a pause to pacify your emotions. Admit it or not, there is news that can heighten our feelings. Check the background of this news why this is shared. See if the original material of the news post came from a legit source.
Check the profile of the page where it came from. One way to know if the profile is legit is by seeing a verified blue ribbon in it which means that the profile is not fake and owned by a news outlet. You can also check their website if the news exists in it because that’s where you can get the full article of the story.
If in case the news you saw was through a news bubble, shared by other people, you can still identify where it was originally posted or at least if the topic has also been picked up by other news outlets. In this way, you will be able to determine the news’ credibility.
Look Beyond The Headlines
Oftentimes, headlines can make you jump to conclusions before you have the chance to read the full content of the news. And fake news uses this approach to ensure that the topic will be sensationalized giving the opportunity for it to spread fast, become trending, and viral.
So what you need to do is to read what’s beyond the headline to know the facts. A headline doesn’t really summarize the content, but instead, it is meant for it to be a guide for you to know what the news is about.
Is The News Reported Somewhere Else?
A piece of real news is something reported not just only by one media outlet. Despite the exclusivity of the story, one way or another, other news outlets would pick up the story and cover it using other forms to gather different sources. This makes the news’ content become broader for having many resources while the main story and facts are being narrowed down for clarity and transparency.
Fake news, on the other hand, has no legit sources to where it came from. Sometimes, the fake news itself becomes and serves as the only source when the story starts to spread. Most sources, if it tries to refer to one, would not be clear and/or would be based on hearsays.
So what you can do is check the facts if it is discussed by other legit news sources, if it has definitive sources for reference, and if the news is not about hearsays.
Who Wrote It?
More than which media outlet released the news, you should also check who is the person who wrote about the news. Writers always put their names on the line when they write about some things. And there’s no way they would want to stain their name and image for something trivial or unsure. Fake news can ruin their career if they write one which is why in every news a writer releases, they make sure that there’s a legit reference about it.
On the other hand, fake news from untrusty news outlets won’t mention the specific person who wrote the news. Instead, it will point the finger at someone to where it hears the news and make it the source and scapegoat if things go south.
Real News Aims Fairness And Clarity
News is meant for delivering information that is based on facts and with trustworthy sources and references. It always tries its best to balance the two sides of the story. On the other hand, fake news oftentimes tries to be biased and its goal is to invalidate one side of the story depending to divide people’s opinions.
The Bottom Line
Nowadays, unfortunately, fake news is becoming reality for others who jump to conclusions without any hesitations. It leads to their judgment being clouded and making it hard for them to see the real story later on. Although it can be sometimes a challenge to figure out the truth immediately, the best way you can do is to calm yourself before getting carried away by your emotions. As mentioned earlier, you can follow the tips above to spot fake news and avoid them.
Don’t let yourself be the person who can easily be manipulated by something not real. Use your common sense before anything else when reading a news article. Base your judgment on the facts and once verified the reliability of what you read, heard, and watched, especially from the thousands of news populating on social media and the internet today.
