KDYS

Fake News – What to Believe

Fake News – What to believe and what sites can you trust? Social media companies are taking steps to clamp down on coronavirus misinformation.

Fake news describes posts, stories or false information created to deceive readers, spread gossip and untruths.

WHY ? These stories are created to either sway people’s reasoning, force an agenda or cause uncertainty.

When looking for factual evidence-based news in relation to COVID-19 it is important to SIFT:
(S)top.
(I)nvestigate the source.
(F)ind better coverage.
(T)race claims, quotes and media to original text source.

For all stories online, look beyond the headlines, is this a joke?, check the source of the story.

DO NOT share or spread this misleading information no matter how sensational it is.

Here’s a short video created by some talented staff to highlight the importance of identifying FAKE NEWS…

Some people rely on news from social media sites and other sources – it can be difficult to tell whether stories are true or not.  Some posts are created to gain more viewers on a website that will help create advertising revenue for online companies – this is sometimes called Clickbait (you’ve been caught)!

Satire, misleading headlines, slanted news and sloppy reporting can all be considered FAKE NEWS. Be careful what you read online. Phishing is when you receive emails that look very real but are not from from the reputable companies you think it is in order to get you to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

Here is a great video from the BBC on how to spot FAKE NEWS!

WHO CAN YOU TRUST?

These websites are trusted and have up-to-date information and news on the Coronavirus crisis.