Fake News, can it be avoided?

In a world of “he said she said” debates across social media and “click bait” news articles, it’s difficult to know what’s real and what isn’t….

Although fake news is not a new concept, it’s now moving up the real news agenda with the help of social media – allowing a story to spread like wildfire within a matter of minutes.  People often say they find out the latest via their trending list on their Twitter page before they’ve even switched on the TV.  We can’t deny that it’s pretty impressive having access to world news at the touch of a button but you can also run into some Chinese whispers along the way.

Fake news takes many forms which is why it’s so difficult to monitor.  It ranges from pop-up websites, nation state-sponsored misinformation, social media and parody publications, such as The Daily Mash – well-established before fake news even became an issue.  But following Trump’s move into the Oval Office, the talk of fake news has been widely popular, especially as it’s so regularly used by Trump himself. The word is also set to be added to the next print edition of Collins Dictionary as it’s recently been dubbed as ‘Word of the Year’ – who’d have thought?

With the aim of cracking down on fake news sites, internet giants, Google have implemented a “Fact Check” feature for Google News and Google Search, enabling publishers to show a “Fact Check’ tag in their stories.  Google’s criteria separates the type of content pushed out online, distinguishing between fact and fiction, an all-important mission by todays’ standards.  If the criteria aren’t met, Google will simply take the site off Google News and or, it won’t be rewarded with a “Fact Check” tab.

If you’re unsure of the legitimacy of a story, the first port of call would be to go to ‘The Source’.  We handle social media on a daily basis and know what to look out for when collating news stories.  Before passing on a story, we make sure to read beyond the headlines and check that ‘The Source’ always backs the claim.

Get in touch with our team today to find out how we can assist you in developing your online presence (fake news free)!