Facebook Tips to Spot Fake News

Facebook Tips to Spot Fake News. Fake news are targeted to gullible people with average or low IQ for promoting a lie through their belief

Facebook Tips to Spot Fake News

Fake news have become a menace. Fake news are targeted to gullible people with average or low IQ for promoting a lie through their belief. Even I know a dozen of my friends on facebook who religiously forward such fake news believing them to be true. No doubt, the trend of fake news has increased beyond limits in last one-two years and it is alleged that political parties and their PR Cells are behind propagating such fake news.

Facebook has published 10 point checklist to spot a fake news. According to Adam Mosseri, Facebook VP, News Feed, Facebook is working to fight the spread of false news in three key areas:

• disrupting economic incentives because most false news is financially motivated;
• building new products to curb the spread of false news; and
• helping people make more informed decisions when they encounter false news.

1. Be skeptical of headlines

False news stories often have catchy headlines in all caps with exclamation points. If shocking claims in the headline sound unbelievable, they probably are.

2. Look closely at the URL 

A phony or look-alike URL may be a warning sign of false news. Many false news sites mimic authentic news sources by making small changes to the URL. You can go to the site to compare the URL to established sources.

3. Investigate the source

Ensure that the story is written by a source that you trust with a reputation for accuracy. If the story comes from an unfamiliar organization, check their “About” section to learn more.

4. Watch for unusual formatting

Many false news sites have misspellings or awkward layouts. Read carefully if you see these signs.

5. Consider the photos

False news stories often contain manipulated images or videos. Sometimes the photo may be authentic, but taken out of context. You can search for the photo or image to verify where it came from.

6. Inspect the dates

False news stories may contain timelines that make no sense, or event dates that have been altered.

7. Check the evidence

Check the author’s sources to confirm that they are accurate. Lack of evidence or reliance on unnamed experts may indicate a false news story.

8. Look at other reports

If no other news source is reporting the same story, it may indicate that the story is false. If the story is reported by multiple sources you trust, it’s more likely to be true.

9. Is the story a joke? 

Sometimes false news stories can be hard to distinguish from humor or satire. Check whether the source is known for parody, and whether the story’s details and tone suggest it may be just for fun.

10. Some stories are intentionally false

Think critically about the stories you read, and only share news that you know to be credible.