What is fake news? Who writes it, and why? What problems does it pose? How can you tell if a news item that you see on the internet is real or fake?
Here are some things to look for when deciding whether a news article or video might be fake:
Does the domain name (URL) of the website look legitimate?
Does the author's name appear with the article?
Does the website contain informational pages such as an "About" page, Contact Information, etc.?
What kinds of ads appear on the website?
How is the headline written? Are there capitalized words, exclamation points, and sensationalist language?
The 10 second rule: if you stop and think about what the headline is saying for 10 seconds, does it make sense?
How to check whether a story is fake or real:
Check other known reputable websites to see whether they are reporting the same story.
Check the official website of the person, company, or organization in the article to see if the story is discussed there.
Share these tips with your friends, neighbors, and family so that they too can avoid being tricked by fake news!