Fake news is a term thrown around all too often because it’s so easy for a story to spread on the Internet. Stories about conspiracies, random encounters, and things that are just plain made up have gone viral. Fake news is a serious problem and something that you should be aware of. Many stories have surfaced with false claims or taking quotes out of context to create a story that meets their agenda.
It’s your responsibility to verify that what you’re reading is true. Learning how to distinguish between fact and fiction and media literacy is something that many people do not have. It’s essential to examine the facts in a story and look for a primary source to back that point up. Melissa Zimdars, a professor of communication and media at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA noticed that her students were citing sources that were not completely credible or outright fake. There are some things (featured at the end of this post) that you can do when reading news stories online to differentiate between what is fact, and what is opinion or satire.
First, take a look at this infographic from LouderWithCrowder, that illustrates the key statistics on how the public has received, perceived, and responded to fake news they’ve come to encounter in their daily lives.
It’s your responsibility to verify that what you’re reading is true. Learning how to distinguish between fact and fiction and media literacy is something that many people do not have. It’s essential to examine the facts in a story and look for a primary source to back that point up. Melissa Zimdars, a professor of communication and media at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA noticed that her students were citing sources that were not completely credible or outright fake. There are some things (featured at the end of this post) that you can do when reading news stories online to differentiate between what is fact, and what is opinion or satire.
First, take a look at this infographic from LouderWithCrowder, that illustrates the key statistics on how the public has received, perceived, and responded to fake news they’ve come to encounter in their daily lives.