Finding Truth in a World of Fake News

With the increased generational dependence on social networking platforms, it becomes increasingly difficult to find straightforward news. The University of Michigan Library defines Fake News as "news stories that are false: the story itself is fabricated, with no verifiable facts, sources or quotes." Through the advancement of technology and a world becoming increasingly more connected, the concept of fake news has become politicized; from "providing misleading content to frame individuals", to exhibiting "genuine content...with false contextual information," to posting fabricated content "designed to deceive and do harm," the media has been swaying curious minds away from the truth. But where does this fake news come from? With it widely utilized in the political world, a large majority come from propaganda and partisans seeking to frame their opponents and gather more votes for their ideal candidate. Furthermore, fake news is eye-catching. It indulges on the vulnerability of the audience for views and in turn, creates monetary value therefore further promoting the creation of such. With all said and done, it may be nearly impossible to not come across fabricated information these days, however, adopting ways to filter the information you receive can aid in the process of finding the truth.

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