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Fake News: Understanding Fake News

Fake News: the history, hysteria, and hype – and how to see through the subterfuge.

What is the Point of Fake News?

Why do people create fake news in the first place? Some of the reasons include:

  1. Money
    • The ugly truth behind fake news: there is big money to be made. The money comes from advertisements. The more clicks/views received, the more ads there are (which results in more money).
    • So when it comes to fake news, the more shocking the headline, the more potential for clicks and shares (and money of course).
    • In 2016, a teen in Macedonia made $16,000 between August and November with his pro-Trump websites. With the average monthly salary in Macedonia being $371, it is no wonder why people are drawn to this.
  2. Agenda
    • Some examples of fake news have an agenda. They want you to get “fired up” and join their “dark side”.
  3. Joke
    • Some fake news is just a joke. It is meant to be humorous and entertain.
  4. Slander
    • Some stories are created with the purpose of damaging reputations.

Consequences

So there's fake news, so what?

It’s safe to assume we can all agree that fake news is a problem. In fact, according to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey:

  • 88% of adults say fake news is either causing some or great confusion about current events and basic facts.
  • 1 in 4 adults has reported sharing fake news, whether they were aware of it at the time or not.

And that is just with adults. Children and teens where not part of that study/ survey.

Okay, fake news is a problem; but why is it such a big deal?

Well, children and teens are particularly susceptible to fake news. According to a 2016 study conducted by the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG):

  • Over 80% of middle schoolers thought an example of “sponsored content” was a real news story.
  • Over 30% of high school students thought a fake Fox News account was more reliable than the real one.
  • "Many people assume that because young people are fluent in social media they are equally perceptive about what they find there. Our work shows the opposite to be true." - Sam Wineburg, lead author of the report (Source: report’s press release).

In 2019, the same group published another study, and the results were "troubling." According to this report:

  • "Education moves slowly. Technology doesn’t. If we don’t act with urgency, our students’ ability to engage in civic life will be the casualty."

Engagements

Fake news will often receive more views, shares, etc. than real news.

For example, the top 20 election stories on Facebook (from August to November 2016) received the following engagements:

Courtesy of BuzzFeed news.

The Bottom Line

People often fall victim to fake news because they don’t fact check; the story supports their argument, position, or belief; or the amount of information available is too overwhelming.

  • Even journalists and politicians have been known to share or reference fake news.
  • Fake news stories have even spiraled out of control and led to violence (like the 2016 “Pizzagate” incident).
  • A 2018 article from The Atlantic states fake news/ misinformation has fueled the spread of certain health risks, like diseases and not receiving vaccination.

So here is the bottom line: fake news is dangerous.

A humorous, yet chillingly accurate, cartoon published in the New Yorker.

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Many of these resources and programs are funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.