The Westport Library Resource Guides: Spotting Fake News: Home

What is Fake News?

Fake News is the deliberate spread of misinformation with the intent to mislead in order to gain financially or politically... Fake news comes in many formats:

Pure fake news sites use fabricated stories to lure traffic, encourage clicks (click bait), influence or profit using intentionally deceptive, but highly intriguing, often sensational information.
Hoax sites also share false information with the intention to trick readers/viewers
Satirical sites present news with a comical, often exaggerated spin
Born digital images and edited images alter and often misrepresent visual reality Continue reading from Library Journal

Why Should I Care about Fake News?

Fake News can:

Destroy your credibility. It will be more difficult for people to believe you if you use bad information to back up your claims.
Draw attention away from high-quality news. Readers may think that all news is fake news and that all news is unreliable.
Hurt you or others. For example, myths perpetuated on medical issues can lead to illnesses or deaths.
Manipulate your emotions. People are more likely to click and share information if their emotions are involved.

Real news benefits you so that you can make good decisions based on facts. Continue reading from Madonna University

What is Deepfake Technology?

Deepfake technology is a type of artificial intelligence used to create convincing fake images, videos and audio recordings. ... The greatest danger posed by deepfakes is their ability to spread false information that appears to come from trusted sources. Continue reading from TechTarget

Additional Online Sources

How to Spot Fake News (Visual Capitalist)

How to Spot Fake News in Your Social Media Feed (McAfee)

The 'Sift' strategy: A four-step method for spotting misinformation (BBC)

Fake News, Big Lies: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going? (Northwestern Institute for Policy Research)

Understanding Deepfakes: What Older Adults Need to Know (National Council on Aging)

Fact-Checking News Sources

The resources below provide fact-checking to assess the truth of claims made in political statements, social media posts, and news coverage.

FactCheck.org
Monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
Politifact
Rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics.
Snopes.com
Conducts extensive fact-checking research on popular topics.