What are they
The term fake news is false information on purpose, it can be in the form of an article, image, or video, they try to attract attention with supposedly "real" content to scandalize public opinion and manipulate it. This type of news is created by both individuals and groups, operating in their interest or on behalf of others. The dissemination of disinformation essentially has personal, political, or economic goals.
But, in the age of digital information, fake news has become an online phenomenon that is difficult to control. Sharing the news on social networks and also through social bots, impersonating users and spreading fake news faster, achieving an enormously high level of visibility in a very short time.
Types of fake news
• Parody: The goal is not to mislead, but rather to satire, but the information has the potential to be misleading since its format is similar to that of real news.
• False connection: The titles do not accurately tell the content of the publication.
• Misleading content: It is the misleading use of information to frame a subject or a person.
• False context: Genuine content is framed by a false plot.
• Imposter content: Genuine sources are spoofed.
• Manipulated content: Legitimate content or images are edited.
• Fabricated content: Completely false content, developed to harm or mislead a person or organization.
• Disinformation: Created and shared by people for harmful purposes.
Tips to avoid fake news
1. Inspect the URL: Pay attention to the URL code of the content, because to publish misleading news, it is sometimes linked to URLs almost the same as those of official websites.
2. Find the source: With a brief search on the Internet, you can check if it is a reliable author.
3. Look at the web: Most Fake News is hosted on reputable imitation websites. They will try to simulate sidebars, headers, and sections, but usually, most of the features will not work.
4. Contrast the information: Use Google or any other search engine to research any topic. If it's real, you'll find hundreds of entries easily. If not, start to suspect.
How social networks manage fake news
More and more social networks are responding to calls for better censorship measures against the spread of fake news. Each platform works differently in this regard.
For example, in May 2020, the SMS service Twitter reviewed a tweet from US President Donald Trump, who had posted unverifiable claims about voting by mail.
Due to the coronavirus crisis and the conspiracy theories surrounding it, YouTube revised its community policies in the same month. The platform then reserves the right to remove videos with questionable content.
On the other hand, Facebook works with more than 50 fact-checking organizations. In this way, if the posts are false according to the criteria established by Facebook, they will be marked and less visible. However, Facebook does not verify political posts and ads.
In June 2020, the European Commission announced new policies to combat disinformation through social networks. From now on, they will be required to submit monthly reports on the number, content, and scope of phishing messages and fake accounts. Social networks are also urged to actively combat fake news using factual information.
Conclusion
Distorted information is one of the worst evils of the 21st century. In a super-connected world that produces unimaginable amounts of data, it is to be expected that there will be people who take advantage of it. The frenetic pace of life at present and the immediate desire to have it make it difficult for us to refute the information we receive. All this allowed the creation of fake news. This phenomenon quickly penetrates social networks and some of its consequences are very negative.
The rise of the Internet and the rise of fake news and misinformation due to the increasing use of social media platforms is a huge concern today. Political polarization reinforces and affects many basic rights, such as freedom of expression, equality, and free and fair elections.
However, in the absence of an unprotected discourse, the measures to combat disinformation, at this point, are mainly social and educational. MIL's strategies and campaigns, along with fact-checking and disseminating counter-narratives, remain at the forefront of the fight for the truth.
