I have frequently heard of the phrase “fake news” being used both online and in-person, often describing political matters. Although I understand the premise of it, I wanted to research more about it and discovered an article from Pratt Library.
The article first defined fake news as news that cannot be backed up by sources or blatant misinformation. One aspect that I had not previously considered was that people will spread fake news simply for profit. I have realized that fake news can be spread in order for people to spread political lies or attempt to ruin reputations of political leaders they do not support. However, I was surprised that some people will spread fake news primarily for financial gain. The article described that people who use fake news to earn profit target easily manipulative people and use news that tailors to their specific interests. “There is fake news written for profit and then shared on social media among targeted groups of people who want to believe that it is true. The intention is for the fake news to spread without readers taking the time to properly verify it. This type of fake news is untrue news.”
The article went on to discuss another common form of fake news: clickbait. A news article will use a catchy or attention grabbing headline, but when people click on the link to go to the article, it leads them to something completely different.
Especially with the continuous rising of social media news consumption, people must be aware of the manipulation that floods the Internet in regards to published news. We must think critically, check our sources, and not automatically believe everything presented to us.
[1 image, 1 quotation, 1 link, 281 words]
Comentários