Avoid Falling for Fake News
In our second installment of Alaska Verifica, we explore some tips to avoid falling for fake news, such as the importance of evaluating emotional impact, confirmation bias, and how to avoid confusing satire with real news.As a part of our campaign Alaska Verifica, which aims to create awareness for the fight against disinformation, we continue giving you tips to ensure that you are equipped to navigate the news landscape and avoid the wide array of fake news that can cloud your judgment or prevent you to make an informed decision about the world around you. In our last article, we talked about lateral reading: the ability to evaluate information as you read it while checking multiple sources. That technique is useful in assessing all forms of information. In this article, we will explore some techniques specific to the news media.
An important tip is to be mindful of the emotional impact of the news you encounter. Stories that provoke strong emotions, particularly fear or anger, are often designed to manipulate your response. Before reacting or sharing, take a moment to consider whether the content might be attempting to play on your emotions. A way to do this is to be cautious of confirmation bias, which is the natural trend to believe information that aligns with your existing beliefs. It’s something all humans have and that we need to be mindful of. When a story seems too perfect in reinforcing your views, it’s important to approach it with a critical eye. Actively seek out information that challenges your perspective to ensure a balanced understanding. For these reasons, it’s important to be skeptical of viral content. Content that spreads rapidly on social media often does so because it is designed to be attention-grabbing, not necessarily because it’s accurate. When you see something going viral, take the extra step to verify the information with reliable sources before believing or sharing it, because it could be fake. A satirical news article from websites like The Onion or El Deforma are meant to entertain or critique society through humor, not to provide factual news. It’s easy to mistake satire for real news, especially when the content is shared out of context. Always check the source of the article to see if it’s a known satirical site. Fighting misinformation is a collective effort. Share your knowledge about digital literacy with others, encourage them to verify information before sharing, and help build a community that prioritizes accuracy over sensationalism. By spreading these practices, you contribute to a more informed and resilient digital landscape. |