What is fake news?
“Fake news websites (also referred to as hoax news) deliberately publish hoaxes, propaganda, and disinformation — using social media to drive web traffic and amplify their effect." (Wikipedia) Fake news websites are not merely news organizations that are biased in their reporting, nor are they tabloid news or satirical news.
Check out these resources for more information:
-
Fake News WebsitesWikipedia entry on fake news sites with information on their history, impact in other countries, and a links to lists of fake news websites.
-
A Brief History of Fake NewsScholar William Poundstone offers a quick look at fake news websites before and after the internet.
-
A Brief History of How Fake News Spreads so Easily on FacebookFrom Mother Jones, a timeline of the key moments leading to the spreading of fake news on Facebook.
-
How Teens In The Balkans Are Duping Trump Supporters With Fake NewsA look at where fake news comes from and which types of headlines sell.
Checking your sources
-
FactCheck.orgA project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania that monitors accuracy of "what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases."
-
How to spot fake newsAdvice on how to spot fake news, from FactCheck.org.
-
SnopesA resource that aims to debunk or confirm stories.
-
Media Bias / Fact CheckMBFC News is dedicated to educating the public on media bias and deceptive news practices.
How to spot fake news
Spread of Fake News
-
HoaxyVisualize the spread of claims - including fake news, rumors, and more - and related fact-checking with this tool from Indiana University.
Your Librarian
Reliable news sources
While a news source may come from a reliable database, it is still important to critically evaluate the content. Peer-review and other forms of checks and balances make it more difficult for false information to get through, but these are not perfect systems.
-
Access World NewsFind articles from local (Arizona Daily Star), national, and international newspapers, and news transcripts and video clips; date coverage varies by news source.
-
Global NewsstreamFind news from from international, national, and regional newspapers, newswires, blogs, and news sites, with various coverage from 1980s-current.
