YouMMe Movie: Fake news
Fake News
Background information
Fake news is news that deliberately disseminates false, misleading or fake information. The goals pursued can be different. The types of fake messages are (according to Desai et al., 2018):
- misleading content (misinformation about a topic or a person),
- fraudulent content (publication of incorrect content with a credible source),
- fictional content (content is 100% incorrect and was created to cause damage),
- wrong links (where the title, photo or summary does not match the content),
- wrong content (if credible content is shared with wrong context information),
- manipulated content (when manipulating credible content or a photo).
Another term that is often mentioned in this context is: Hoax, American for jokes, kidding. A hoax is usually referred to as a hoax, which is distributed in print media, via social networks or messengers, considered by many to be true and therefore passed on to friends, colleagues and relatives. You can find out how to find out whether you have a hoax in front of you with the helpful tips.
We live in an increasingly networked world of information, in which false reports can be published relatively easily and deliberately. The fact is that fake news attracts large audiences and readers.
As long as false reports are recognized as such, this is not a problem. However, according to a 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer survey, up to 59% of respondents do not distinguish real news from false reports. According to the 12th European Communication Monitor, social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. are the source of 81.3% of all false reports. Political or other propaganda can be spread through these channels. The false report creators strive to maximize their reach in the shortest possible time.
False reports or fake news can be a lucrative source of money for authors.
So don’t trust suspicious news and don’t click on it. Trust your gut feeling and common sense.
Possible negative consequences of spreading fake news (Allcott und Gentzhow, 2017, S. 219):
- Readers who believe false reports and therefore have wrong beliefs,
- incorrect beliefs and opinions that can affect democratic decision-making by individuals,
- Readers who become more skeptical of established media organizations and have greater difficulty in distinguishing credible from non-credible content.
- All of these consequences can result in low demand for high quality reports.
How can I protect myself from fake news?
Practical tips
Practice with your child on news and reports, as well as warnings about messengers, to question the sources and information
It helps your children and adolescents to see that even you as adults can sometimes find it difficult to assess which posts you can trust.
We recommend the following steps to check messages, information, posts, etc.:
– Check the source: Explore the web portal, check the posture of the portal and, if possible, the distribution channels.
– Check the full message: headlines can be misleading. What is the news about? If it is “lurid”, then be careful.
– Check the author: who is the author of the message? Is he serious? Is this a real person?
– Is the information a joke? If the message is too unusual, it could be a joke. Research the portal and check the author.
– Check the date: Reprinted messages may not be up to date.
– Additional sources: Click News Links and check that they confirm the news information
– Be aware of your own prejudices: Are you considering whether your beliefs will be reinforced or otherwise influenced by the news?
– Ask the experts: ask people you trust or check the news on the information review portals, e.g. the following:
https://www.mimikama.at/
hoaxsearch.com
hoaxmap.org
What can you do to slow the spread of fake news?
- Take the time to post, forward, and distribute messages.
- And turn on “common sense” whether that is even possible.
- Check out some of the above Steps.
- If the message is still funny or informative or helpful, please spread it with a good feeling.
