By Benjamin Yampolskiy

Every day, millions of individuals scroll through social media to view different videos, news stories, and stories from their friends online. Unfortunately, not all information that is shared online is true. Due to the fact that many individuals share information online without first verifying that it is true, the false information can spread at an incredible rate. Therefore, once false news stories begin to spread online, it can be nearly impossible to stop the spreading of those stories, especially with the number of individuals who have shared and viewed those stories.

Misinformation is information that is false and inaccurate, and is shared, whether by accident or by intention. These fake news stories may be created with the intention of gaining the attention of individuals online, of gaining income from the sharing of those stories, or of influencing the beliefs of others sharing those stories. Regardless of the motivation of those who create the misinformation, the results lead individuals to believe information that is not, in fact, true.

Social media has contributed to the development and spreading of misinformation in various ways. For instance, social media platforms often recommend different content to individuals based on the number of likes, comments, or shares that the stories receive. Thus, content with shocking headlines and emotional stories tends to be shared more often than accurate stories and news articles. In many cases, the stories and headlines may be shared and circulated rapidly online, but the stories behind those shared headlines may be misleading or entirely false and based on false information.

Much of the information that is shared online includes edited images or videos. Images that were taken years ago, for instance, may be shared online and posted with false information stating that the picture depicts an event that occurred recently. Additionally, videos that are shared online may be edited in a way that leaves out important information that may explain the video and its context, leaving viewers to believe information that is not in fact true. Today’s technology allows for the creation of even more convincing fake videos and images, contributing to the importance of all individuals to verify information before beginning to believe it.

One way to avoid being tricked by false and misleading information is to take a few minutes to review the information before sharing. Individuals can review the creator of the shared information, other sources that share the same news story, and the entire article sharing the story rather than relying upon the headline alone. If the information is only published by a single account online, it is likely to be inaccurate.

According to research highlighted by Internet Matters, false news stories can spread significantly faster online than true stories, which shows why it’s so important to think twice before sharing.

The internet gives us access to so much information. However, that also means that we have a greater responsibility to verify the information before it spreads to others in our circles.

Steps you can take:

  • Look past the headline to read the story. Headlines are meant to get your attention and may not tell the whole story.
  • Check where the story came from. It should come from a trusted news organization.
  • Check multiple news sources to see if the same information is being reported.
  • Check the date of the story. Something that is old may be shared to imply it is a current event.
  • Finally, take a second to think before you share. If you are not certain that something online is true, do not repost it.

Conversation starters:

  • Have you shared something online that later turned out to be false?
  • What are some signs of fake news on social media?
  • Why does fake news spread so quickly on social media?
  • Where do you go to verify information on social media?
  • How can one person help to stop misinformation?

Learn more:

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