There are many reasons why fake news is out there: Satire, money, persuasion, etc. Nonetheless, it is important to be knowledgeable about the rhetorical strategies they use to get your attention and to persuade you.
FactCheck.org has published a video to inform people of strategies for spotting fake news. The strategies are: Consider the source, read beyond the headline, check the author, assess the support, check the date, check if the article is satire, check your biases (confirmation bias), and consult the experts. In summary, FactCheck.org advises people to look deeper into any article and do more research. Checking things like author, date, support, and source reputation for authenticity can be obvious signs of fake news if they are fake.
According to the Fraser Hall Library and FactCheck.org, news sources often exaggerate their headlines to clickbait. Words like "denied," "allegation," and "under cover of dark" are often used by news sources to draw more attention. But it is important to note: "Even in legitimate news stories, the headline doesn't always tell the whole story." This means that in every story, don't judge only based on the headline. Read beyond the headline before sharing!
Works Cited:
"Decoding Fake News: Decoding Fake News." Research Guides, 2022 SUNY Geneseo, 18 Feb. 2021, https://libguides.geneseo.edu/newsliteracy/decoding-fake-news.
"Decoding Fake News: Decoding the Rhetoric." Research Guides, 2022 SUNY Geneseo, 18 Feb. 2021, https://libguides.geneseo.edu/newsliteracy/decoding-rhetoric.
Desai, Shevon, et al. Research Guides, 26 Oct. 2021, https://guides.lib.umich.edu/fakenews.
"How to Spot Fake News - FactCheck.org." YouTube, FactCheck.org, 8 Dec. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkwWcHekMdo.
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