What's Real about Fake News?
We all get it wrong sometimes. What makes it worse is when we share this information with others and propagate the spread of these incorrect facts. With the combination of the internet, social media, and AI, false content can be shared at breakneck speeds, creating a highly negative impact on society.
The spread of incorrect information is increasingly worsening. The terms misinformation and disinformation are now a part of our lexicon. While the words are similar in looks and definition, there are subtle, but very important, differences.
Misinformation are facts that are incorrect but presented as true. There are degrees of misinformation. It can range from one innocent mistake in the relation of an idea to a story that is full of made-up information. Misinformation is unintentional, and the person may not even realize the information is untrue. Despite the lack of intent, the relating of these erroneous facts are misleading and could be harmful.
Disinformation bears a striking resemblance to misinformation in that both involve the sharing of error-filled information. The main difference is that disinformation is spread intentionally with the goal to deceive others.
The main two motivators for the spreading of disinformation are for politics and for profit. The world of politics is overflowing with propaganda, and politicians have learned they can influence people’s opinions and their voting behavior through campaigns that spread false information intentionally. By changing people’s voting behaviors through disinformation, politicians can gain more power.
A second way disinformation can be used is for profit. Many websites receive compensation based upon the number of clicks the site receives. Sensational and often misleading information is presented in headlines, called clickbait, which is used to draw in more readers. With the onset of AI, this purposely misleading content can be created in a fraction of the time of solely human generated disinformation.
Finally, based upon disinformation, many unsuspecting people can spread it innocently. Their unintentional sharing of this purposely shared disinformation can cause the spread of false facts quickly. These people who are fooled into spreading disinformation do not even realize what has happened and have now spread misinformation.
So how can a person protect themselves from becoming tricked into believing fake facts?
1. Be wary of social media. The American Psychological Association estimates that most online disinformation originates from a small minority of superspreaders. These sites usually use social media to motivate others to share their disinformation. Typically, these sites have as their goal to create strong emotional reactions with people on the platform, causing them to share this viewpoint. This tactic causes the false information to spread like wildfire.
2. Assess all sources. Important information to note is who shared the information with you and from where they got it. For instance, if it came from a website, read the “About Us” or “Contact Us” section for background details about the source. You may also wish to search for the author’s name and check the URL or email address to make sure there are no red flags. Some things to note are the spelling and grammar on the site, URLs that are close to established websites, and unusual domain names, such as biz or info.
3. Look beyond the headline. As stated previously, headlines that do not accurately reflect the story associated with it act as clickbait, and many times represent false information. Be sure to read the entire article and not rely solely upon information given in the headline.
4. Burst your filter bubble-confirmation bias. Many of us find ourselves only hanging around others that share the same viewpoints. This same-thinking group limits other opinions that might be out there and acts as an “echo chamber.” Once in this environment, confirmation bias abounds. This type of bias tends to look for only those facts that reinforce a person’s views, and without other information reaching through their “filter bubble,” a one-sided and incomplete picture of an issue is developed. It is important to assess your own personal sources of information and determine how much of a bubble you are in and seek out other sources of information and/or people that purport opposing views. I find that purposely engaging with another person who has opposing views and asking non-judgmental questions is beneficial. You can gain much insight by inquiring with an open mind, “Why do you think this way?”
False information makes it hard to tell what is real. Misinformation is bad enough, but disinformation, with its intentional nature, is malicious. A populous that is informed about both of these types of “fake news” will hopefully lead to a more discerning view at what is put out there, and therefore, a better grasp on reality.
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