top of page

Fake News: Why Do We Fall for It?


Fake news is any type of false or misleading information. Fake news can be found just about anywhere. Newspapers, social media, and even television news can offer false information to their viewers. Although fake news is not a new concept, individuals still fall for misleading information daily. This is because of the author's use of rhetoric. There are four ways that publishers trick their audience. One way is by implementing lies amongst the truth. This is when someone gets "a whole bunch of verified facts right and then adds one or two [facts] that are untrue." Sometimes publishers will even include fancy statistics to make their claim seem more factual. The second technique used is websites hidden under misleading names. This includes websites created for the purpose of donating money. The website may state that the money is going to one individual or organization, but it is transferred somewhere else. The third way websites can trick their viewers is through the use of numbers without context. People always fall for statistics. If a publisher decides to add a few random numbers to make their information seem more reliable, it is more than likely someone is going to fall for it. The final way individuals are fooled is through false sources. Sometimes people plug in quotations that support their claim but label them under false sources. Individuals are fooled by false sources because of the "official-looking footnotes" implemented at the end of the page. If it seems legit, most people will not question the sources.

[1 image, 2 quotations, 1 link, 254 words]


Comments


bottom of page