Evaluating News: What is Fake News?

Fake news and misinformation are not a new phenomenon at all, but thanks to our increasingly interconnected world and the widespread use of social media, incorrect information is able to reach people much faster than it could previously and spread dramatically. Further, there is now so much information of varying quality available at our fingertips that it can be quite difficult to determine what information is reliable and valid. 

What exactly is fake news?

• False or misleading information designed to confuse or manipulate the reader
• Satire or parody news presented as or designed to trick the reader into believing they are true
• Sometimes have partially true information, but the information is so distorted that it becomes false

What is not fake news?

• The term is also sometimes used to misrepresent reliable information and cause others to doubt the accuracy of the information 
• This is often done because the person claiming that something is “fake news” disagrees with or dislikes the information that is being shared, often for political reasons or financial gain

Why would someone make fake news?

• Monetary gain, often from advertisements on fake news websites
• To share their own opinions or beliefs and try to convince others to see things their way
• To use the news format to make a joke, satire, or parody about the subject