Pay attention to the domain and URL; Recognized news organizations usually own their domains and they have a standard look that you are probably familiar with. Fake news may include fake sources, false urls, and/or “alternative facts” that can be disproven through further research. When in doubt, dig deeper. Facts can be verified. Read the “About Us” section; most sites will have a lot of information about the news outlet, the company that runs it, members of leadership, and the mission and ethics statement behind an organization. The language used here is straightforward. If it’s sensational and seems excessive, you should be hesitant. Also, you should be able to find out more information about the organization’s leaders in places other than that site. Can you find a similar article on the Internet? Do a simple keyword search on Google for a similar article. If you’re unable to find anything remotely similar, chances are that the author didn’t do their research, made up much of the information in the article, or are fully sharing their opinion on a topic not factual news. Stick to trusting news articles that have similar pieces found on the Internet. When was it published? Look at the publication date. If it’s breaking news, be extra careful. A Poll is featured; Polls form the basis of many a news article, and very often they’re totally legitimate. After all, people are constantly trying to assess everything from our preference for political candidates to whether or not we believe in global warming. The problem with polls is that they can be misleading depending upon how the questions are phrased. Or the poll might be fine, but the results are taken out of context. The Website Carries a Disclaimer; On every page that it contains both “real shocking news” and “parody news,” then adds, “Please note that articles written on this site are for entertainment and satirical purposes only.” So is it all satire or only partial satire? And if partial, which stories are true? It Predicts a Future Disaster; A fair number of fake news stories hook readers in because they predict a future disaster. Yes, some of them are pretty incredible and seem obviously fake — the date of the world’s ending, for example, or the start of World War III. But some seem rather believable. Who wrote it? Real news contains the real by-line of a real journalist dedicated to the truth. Fake news (including “sponsored content” and traditional corporate ads) does not. Once you find the by-line, look at the writer’s bio. This can help you identify whether the item you’re reading is a reported news article. Fake news is a problem, if you see your friends sharing obviously fake news, be a friend and kindly tell them it’s not real. Don’t shy away from these conversations even if they might be uncomfortable. As said, everyone has to help fix the fake news problem.
