Article 7 Fake news usually works by triggering a reader’s deepest fears. The fear of migrants collapsing our economy; the fear of foreigners raping and assaulting the women and children in the countries where they find hospitality after leaving their homeland; a scandalous revelation that just now came to light about a political leader or […]
The (Sad) State of Media in the 21st Century
The world has changed. To some, it has done so for the better. Others may argue that we are never alone with our thoughts anymore, as we are increasingly connected, and not just to social media. Our homes and appliances can be controlled wirelessly; wherever we go we can be reached via smartphone, and […]
What is a News Agency, and How It Operates?
News agencies are media groups and organizations that work precisely like online newspapers or magazines. They have personnel worldwide, ready to step in and report on anything and everything. Their revenue comes from subscribers (usually other news outlets, but they can also be private companies or political parties) who pay for accessing their services. Being […]
The Fake News Crisis Is Nothing New
In spite of president Donald Trump stating (and more than once, too) that the expression “fake news” is something he invented, the phenomenon is nothing new. It may have found a new life in the Internet era, but it’s something that always existed. It even had the same name! Blowing things out of proportion, […]
Fake News in the Current Era
Of course, the current epidemic of fake news is an entirely different phenomenon. That’s because the amount of news outlets that we have at our collective disposal is incredibly high – no one even knows the exact number of newspapers, magazines or online news portals there are in the first place. And don’t get […]
The Importance of Fact-Checking/ Part I
Fact-checking is what happens in a newsroom before an article is published (whether online or on the print edition): it means going through every part of the written text, making sure that what the journalist wrote is correct, factual and true. If there are people interviewed throughout the piece, they have to be contacted for […]
Who Benefits from Fake News?
There’s a manipulative strategy behind the recent surge of fake news. Lord Thomas Cochrane, the man behind the spreading of the news about Napoleon dying, can be considered the forefather to many fake news suppliers and makers. There are mainly two types of gains to be had by spreading false news items: a monetary gain: […]
The Importance of Fact-Checking/ Part II
As discussed, fact-checking can be done by anyone, even at home, when they suspect that they’ve been exposed to fake news. But is it enough to find multiple instances of the same news item on other sources? It’s a case of “the more, the merrier”, right? Actually, that may not be the case. Established, major […]
How to Find Reliable News Sources
Some publications are born to spread fake or false (it’s the preferred term these days) news, while others are reputable but can make an honest mistake! Since most of them can fall prey to fake media, it is of the utmost importance to find reliable sources. What to do to locate them? Do some “fact-checking […]