The internet is a rich source of news and information, but not everything online is trustworthy. Fake news has become a major problem in recent years, particularly on social media.
Misinformation is not a new problem – it’s been around for a long time, but the internet has changed how it spreads and what we can do about it. This article looks at some of the ways fake news is created and shared online.
Trolls
Trolls are mythical creatures with a long tradition in Scandinavian culture. They live in mountains, forests and caves, usually in cold and dark places. There are several different types of trolls, though the most common are Norwegian mountain and forest trolls. They are generally smaller than humans with stubby arms and legs. They are depicted as mischievous and sometimes dangerous.
Trolls have been a part of many tales, and they’re also featured in art, music and literature. They come in all shapes and sizes, but most of them are incredibly strong, ugly and hostile to humans.
In modern times, we use the term troll to describe a person who posts derogatory or false messages in an online forum or newsgroup. They often get an emotional response from other people, which they then use to spread their messages.
During the 2016 US presidential election, Russian trolls were documented creating fake accounts to amplify and spread fake news. They were also used to spread political messaging on platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
Trolls can be difficult to spot, but there are some giveaways that can help you identify them. For example, they’ll frequently try to insult your taste or that of something you believe in.
The best way to protect yourself from trolling is to talk to someone you trust. They can help you decide if you should take action and how to do it. They may be able to give you advice or support if the trolling is becoming harmful.
If you suspect trolls are targeting you or your child, contact Kids Helpline (for 5 to 25 year olds) or another confidential counselling or support service. They can also help you report the trolls and remove their content.
Deepfakes
Deepfakes are a type of fake news by media that use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to create videos and photos that appear real, but in reality don’t exist. They’re often used to disrupt politics, mock TV shows, target influential people, generate blackmail material and create internet memes and satire.
They’re created using a system called a Generative Adversarial Network, or GAN, that analyzes millions of existing faces to recognize patterns and then uses those patterns to create fakes. These fakes can look so realistic that they’re hard to tell apart from the real thing, but they’re still not foolproof.
The quality of the deepfake is directly correlated to how much the machine learning algorithm knows about its subject’s face. This means that the best deepfakes are crafted with lots of photographic references of their subjects’ faces.
Despite these limitations, the technology is being used for mischief and disinformation, including revenge porn, bullying, fake video evidence in courts, political sabotage, terrorist propaganda, blackmail, market manipulation, and even fake news. In some cases, such as in the case of fake news on Facebook, these fakes can actually do significant damage to people and companies.
Some experts have criticized the use of deepfakes as an unchecked threat to democracy. For instance, Nina Schick, a political scientist and technology consultant, suggests that deepfakes are a “disinformation tool of the first order” and that democracies need to prepare for them. She also warns that new laws against cyberbullying or online harassment may not be enough to protect the public from this kind of disinformation. Rather, it will be up to the governments to adopt the necessary measures. This will require cooperation between the government, social media platforms and the people who use them.
Clickbait
Clickbait is a term used to describe headlines or articles that are designed to draw attention by appealing to emotion or curiosity. However, when users click on the article, they find that it’s not what it promised to be – and it may be full of misleading information from non-credible sources.
Many media outlets use this technique to attract more people to their websites and increase ad revenue. They typically use sensationalist headlines that grab attention and drive traffic to their website, normally at the expense of truth or accuracy.
The internet has made it easier for people to receive news and information, especially through social media sites. But a lack of understanding of how the internet works can also lead to people being misled or duped into believing certain stories are true.
This type of misinformation is spread by media through their articles and often through advertising, but sometimes it can be caused by social engineering or intentional fraud. Some companies are particularly notorious for this kind of fraudulent activity, including Outbrain and Snapchat.
Clickbait can be an effective way to draw traffic and boost page views, but it is important not to overdo it. It can be frustrating and damaging to your brand when readers feel that they’ve wasted their time on an article that isn’t what they were promised.
A good way to avoid clickbait is to create content that focuses on the needs of your target audience, and offers original perspectives on relevant topics. This can help build trust between you and your audience, as well as encourage them to visit your website again.
A great example of this is a clickbait headline that asks readers to “Think about the 10 countries with only four letters in their name.” It might seem obvious, but many people will respond to this challenge if they think it will be interesting. This approach will also help you build a connection with your audience and increase the chances of them sharing your content with their friends.
Deliberately inaccurate stories
Deliberately inaccurate stories are written in a way that is misleading or contains errors. They are often published to sway public opinion or drive traffic to a website.
Media sources, like newspapers and magazines, have editorial guidelines for determining whether a story is factual or not. The most reliable stories have plenty of facts – data, statistics, quotes from experts, and so on.
Similarly, a credible news report will include references to other reputable news/media outlets. It is also a good idea to check when the article was published, as some fake news reports contain incorrect dates or altered timelines.
Some fake news is intentionally written in a way to mislead people or provoke strong emotions. This may make the reader feel angry or sad, or even scared.
Many people share false news stories based on their headlines alone, without checking their accuracy. This can lead to serious consequences, as readers may make decisions about their health or finances that could be dangerous.
The internet has made it easier to spread malicious misinformation quickly, which is why it is important to be able to spot the difference between fake news and truthful stories. To do this, you need to read the article carefully and consider your own views or beliefs.
Sometimes fake news is created in order to distract people from important issues and intensify social conflict. This can have serious consequences, and it could even affect election results. It can also lead to more polarization within a society, and encourage people to become more aggressive or less willing to work together. Fake news can also be created to promote hate speech, bullying, violence, discrimination, and bigotry against specific groups of people.
Stories that are broadly inaccurate
Many news stories are broadly accurate, but a sensational or misleading headline is used to get people to click on them and spread them on social media. This can be because they are interesting, but it can also be because they are promoting a particular cause or agenda.
The main problem is that these stories are shared far faster than truthful ones. This is called the illusory truth effect.
This effect is a mental shortcut that means we don’t stop to think about the factual accuracy of news. It also affects our judgments. Typically, we will prefer information that is consistent with our existing beliefs, and are more likely to accept dissonant information that makes us feel better about ourselves.
It’s important to be aware of this tendency, and take steps to avoid it. You can do this by making sure you read articles from reliable sources, and avoiding the use of clickbait.
You can also take steps to protect your personal information and identity by ensuring you’re using reliable and trustworthy sites. This includes making sure the web address is correct and checking that it uses legitimate domains.
In addition to these measures, you can also try and avoid sharing false news with your friends. This is because it can lead to social conflict and make it harder for others to trust you.
MIT researchers have published an impressive study that looks at how false and true news stories spread on Twitter. It shows that fake news is more widespread than people think and it’s humans rather than automated processes that are responsible for spreading it.
These findings are worrying, considering the way that social media has become the dominant platform for news distribution. They’re a reminder that there needs to be greater collaboration between social media platforms and legitimate news organisations, which have the resources to check the accuracy of their stories and report on them.