How To Spot Fake News Articles | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

How To Spot Fake News Articles

In the age of information, we're often misinformed.

18
How To Spot Fake News Articles
Eepeng Cheong // Unsplash

They always tell us not to believe everything that we read on the Internet. But then, what exactly can we believe on the Internet? The tricky thing about the Internet is that even though we have access to tons of information, not all of it is quality information. So, how does one become a discerning reader?

People today seem to have a general distrust of the media. They say that the media is corrupt. That all news articles are fluff because media outlets will do anything to generate a bit of buzz. But is that the fault of the media, or is it the fault of the consumers?

Let me ask you a question. How much of your daily news information comes from Facebook? Or Twitter? I'd guess that a fair portion of it comes from social media -- and there's not necessarily anything wrong with that. The problem doesn't lie in the source of the information -- it lies in the receiver. Yes, there are a lot of sources out there that post fake stories just to get attention. And passive receivers will be easily duped by those stories. But part of being a well-informed citizen is learning to think for yourself. It's just a fact of life that having more options means having more information to sort through, and if you don't want to be "lied to" by the media, then you're going to have to seek your own answers. So what can you do to be an active receiver?

First, you can check the source of a story. Did it come from a reputable source or a notoriously biased source? Is it a firsthand account of a story? If not, did the author provide hyperlinks or references to provide evidence for their information? Make sure you actually read articles before you share them on social media- the title of an article doesn't always reflect the content.

You can also read more than one story. Some news sources are either liberally or conservatively biased, so you may only be getting pieces of the whole story. Read about the issue from another source to get more information.

Check the dates on the story. For whatever reason, stories or videos often go viral long after they were originally posted. If you're casually surfing and come across an article that was recently posted, you could reasonably (and wrongly) assume that because it was shared recently, the event occurred recently.

And finally, stay up to date on the news in general. theSkimm is a great way to get caught up on the important daily news. They'll send you a free email every weekday morning summarizing a few of the biggest news stories so you don't have to sift through a bunch of articles on news sites (pssst, sign up here). They're excellent at presenting the information in a humorous, yet unbiased manner.

If you really want to be an informed citizen, subscribe to one of your local newspapers! Or, if you're not into reading an entire newspaper every morning, follow your local paper on Twitter or Facebook. That way, you'll know that your news is coming from a reputable source, and not from your cat-video-sharing Aunt Nancy's posts.



Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Vivien Leigh
Revelist

I've lived a whole 21 years with an RBF (Resting Bitch Face), so naturally, I go through most of these struggles on a daily basis.

And before you ask, yes I'm fine. No, I'm not mad. This is just my face, so take it or leave it! To those of you who have been #blessed with an RBF, you'll probably relate to these more than you'd like to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Iconic Duos: Timeless Legends

From Luke and Leia to Beyonce's twins...

774528
Luke and Leia from Star Wars, a iconic duo
Lucasfilm

“Name a more iconic duo... I'll wait." OK, well, if you insist. In no particular order, here's a list of 100 iconic duos that seem to be timeless.

SEE MORE: This Is The ICONIC Disney Sidekick You Are To Your BFF, According To Your Zodiac Sign

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

A Candid Letter to My Best Friends Ex

Because this is the real form of torture you deserve.

371
middle finger
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

What's up Asshat,

I've composed a list of things that I wish upon you, and they're harsh and cruel. These things are things that I wouldn't wish upon my worst of enemies, not even that Starbuck's barista who always screws up my order, not even him. You fall into a whole other category of hate. You surpass Starbucks barista. Congratulations, I'm actually a pretty nice person, making you worthy of every single bit of torture I wish upon you. What are these things I wish upon you you might ask?

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

College Life: As Told By Bob's Burgers

If there's anyone who understand the struggles of college, it's the Belcher family

1041
Bob's Burgers

College is a time of gaining independence, exploring new things, and copious amounts of Netflix. If you're like me, you often find yourself laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of the situations you find yourself in. Here are ten times Bob's Burgers accurately captured college life.

1. What you're pretty sure your upstairs neighbors do at 3am every morning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Why Theater Kids Are the Greatest People Ever

Supportive and spontaneous human beings are the best.

789
Theater Kids

Throughout school, the theater department has always been my go-to place with go-to people when I need advice, a dance party, or just someone to listen to me vent.

You never know what's going to happen when you're dealing with theatre or what kind of characters you'll encounter. We have too much fun doing anything! One time in my senior year acting class, we spent an entire class period watching Bob's Burgers, and it was the greatest class period ever.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments