Fake News

Filter Bubble

Beware the Filter Bubble

As web companies strive to tailer their services to our personal tastes, there's a dangerous unintended consequence: We get trapped in a "filter bubble" and don't get exposed to information that could challenge or broaden our worldview. It is easy, at times even invisible, to find and access content that reinforces our beliefs. Our information "diet" is tracked by Google, Facebook, and many other companies that tailor our results and news feeds to what we have previously liked or clicked on. Learn about the dangers of filter bubbles and how you can pop them with this TedTalk from Eli Pariser.

FaceBook Meme

FaceBook Meme

Social Media Resources

So I Saw This Meme on the Internet…

How to evaluate political and current events news you see online

What did you see?
  • Is it a meme shared on Facebook? These can be very entertaining, but they aren’t typically based on fact.
  • Try Googling the information on the meme to see what websites come out to support or refute it.
  • Is it a satire site such as The Onion or the Borowitz Report? Satire is a legitimate form of political commentary, but it isn’t meant to express the literal facts.
  • Is it a nonpartisan site such as politifact.com or snopes.com? You can usually trust these.
  • Is it from a major newspaper such as the LA Times, New York Times, Washington Post? These are usually fact-based. Editorials are opinion, but usually educated opinion.
  • Is more than one news source reporting on the event or issue, or just one?
  • Can you find peer-reviewed journal articles or library books about the general topic? Even though these may not contain information on specific very recent news items, you can get a good factual background from them.
What should you look for?
  • Verifiable facts and statistics, not rumors or wild claims. Just because it “sounds right” or seems to confirm something you already believe doesn’t mean it is actually true.
  • Citing sources – just as you cite sources in your research papers, Internet news should do the same. If they don’t clearly state where they got their information, there is no evidence for it being correct.
  • Who paid for or sponsored the content? If you can find out who supports it, you can see what viewpoint it is coming from.
  • Does the website URL end in “lo” or “com.co”? These are usually not legitimate news sources.
  • The website should have an “About Us” or similar tab to let you learn more about them.
  • Who is the author? Is he or she a subject expert or a professional journalist? If not, or if you can’t find out who the author is, be careful about trusting the material.
  • Try using an advance Google search to search only .gov or .edu 

FaceBook

From Facebook:
Tips to Spot False News

Be skeptical of headlines. If shocking claims in the headline sound unbelievable, they probably are.

Look closely at the URL. Many false news sites mimic authentic news sources by making small changes to the URL. You can go to the site to compare the URL to established sources.

Investigate the source. Ensure that the story is written by a source that you trust with a reputation for accuracy.

Look for the "About" section If the story comes from an unfamiliar organization, check their "About" section to learn more.

Watch for unusual formatting. Many false news sites have misspellings or awkward layouts. Read carefully if you see these signs.

Consider the photos. False news stories often contain manipulated images or videos. Sometimes the photo may be authentic, but taken out of context. You can search for the photo or image to verify where it came from.

Inspect the dates. False news stories may contain timelines that make no sense, or event dates that have been altered.

Check the evidence. Check the author's sources to confirm that they are accurate. Lack of evidence or reliance on unnamed experts may indicate a false news story.

Look at other reports. If no other news source is reporting the same story, it may indicate that the story is false. If the story is reported by multiple sources you trust, it's more likely to be true.

Is the story a joke? Sometimes false news stories can be hard to distinguish from humor or satire. Check whether the source is known for parody, and whether the story's details and tone suggest it may be just for fun.

Some stories are intentionally false. Think critically about the stories you read, and only share news that you know to be credible.

 

News Feed FYI: Replacing Disputed Flags with Related Articles

Facebook is about connecting you to the people that matter most. And discussing the news can be one way to start a meaningful conversation with friends or family. It’s why helping to ensure that you get accurate information on Facebook is so important to us... the full story here

 -- By Tessa Lyons, Facebook Product Manager- December 20, 2017