The Impact Fake News Has On Social Media
Nowadays, it seems as if fake news can be found all over the internet, especially of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Being able to figure out what stories are real or fake is vital because fake news can spread like wild fire.
Fake news is a term used to describe false news stories. These types of stories are fabricated and contain no sources or facts. They are intended to mislead the reader.
The problem with fake news is that it spreads throughout social media quickly. Fake news is dangerous because it misinforms people and makes them believe something that is not true at all.
Edmund Andrews’ says in his article, How fake news spreads like a real virus, that people who are most susceptible to fake news are elderly, the young, and the lesser educated.
Though avoiding fake news may seem impossible, it’s important to keep a healthy level of curiosity while looking on social media. Use investigative practices for information that you may read. Also, fact check everything so that you can prevent any spread of fake news.
Anthony Adornato explains in his book, Mobile and Social Media Journalism, that the rise of fake news makes fact checking even more important. Social media information should be held to traditional journalistic standards and journalists must also verify the accuracy and authenticity of the information.
Not fact checking information can be a disaster especially when in the work place such as a newsroom since most rely on social media, which increases their chances of running into fake news. Some newsrooms have switch to apps in order to combat fake news.
Though fake news isn’t going anywhere, being able to proper actions and stay aware of what your reading online is a big part in slowing down the spread of fake news.
