Spotting Fake News in Social Media

Sam Spinale

ss730219@ohio.edu

As recently discussed, society's trust within the media is at an all-time low. That lack of trust could quickly be based upon the challenge each reader is faced with when deciphering if any given story is filled with fake information. Now that social media is more accessible than ever before, it's pretty easy for someone to share a piece of information that may or may not be accurate. Readers are left with the task of figuring out who is a reliable source and pretending to be one.

Source: ABC News

Why does fake news spread on social media?

Many people are beginning to use social media for their regular news, so social media users need to determine authenticity from fake online. Peter Suciu from Forbes explained that "According to a Pew Research Service study from January, more than eight in ten U.S. adults (86 percent) said they get their news from a smartphone." With this, it's easy to see why fake news spreads so rapidly on social media. However, without these adults knowing what is real from fake, the false news will always continue to spread.

Another issue that Suciu says adds to the fake news problem on social media is that misinformation acts like clickbait and gets some of the most clicks online. Social media platforms have no desire to remove the fake news to add to the issue. Instead, they tend to profit more from the misinformation online. The engagement rates with outrageous information are some of the highest, which means that fake news will continue to spread very rapidly.

Why is spotting fake news better than stopping it?

Unfortunately, fake information online isn't going anywhere. According to Suciu, social media platforms will never remove it in an attempt to make a profit, and users will continue to create it "in an attempt to influence outcomes" online and in life. Because of this, it's essential to understand how to spot fake information on social media.

How do you spot fake news on social media?

Spotting fake news online can be easy, but sometimes, it's a little harder to point out. So it's important, first, to know the types of fake news online. According to the American Press Institute, "Some of it is spread without malicious intent, which is generally called misinformation. Some of it is designed to mislead or disrupt, known as disinformation. And some is aimed at swaying public opinion or beliefs by distorting the facts, which is a classic definition of propaganda."

While it may seem overwhelming to determine what the absolute truth is online, always remember that if the content you are reading is "triggering an emotional response," according to ABC News, it might not be the most reliable.

ABC News also provided five tips to help prevent and find fake information online. First, search online for the information or claim. Next, check if other reputable news sources write about this exact topic. Next, look at who posted the content by looking at their profile, seeing what other information they tend to post, and seeing how long they have been active. Then, check the account's profile image to see if it is authentic or a stock photo, or an image of a celebrity. Later, search for other social media accounts from this person. Find out if they have any religious or political affiliation that might sway them to post the possible fake information. Finally, inspect the content the account posted. If the information stated looks too good to be true, it most likely is.

Source: ABC Action News

Fake News and Social Media

Lindsay Wielonski

lw293117@ohio.edu

Today, it's easier than ever to spread misinformation online quickly. Social media influencers with thousands of followers have platforms that allow them to share their points of view within a matter of minutes. To journalists, this instantaneous nature of social media is both a blessing and a curse for informing the public about pressing and time-sensitive issues. 

Anyone, regardless of credibility, can post whatever they want with few restrictions on social networks. That practice makes for an online environment where rumors can spread like wildfire. People who lack education but have many followers have the power to convince people to adopt harmful lifestyles. For example, many influencers who spread health-related content have a large platform, but in reality, they lack credentials and science-based research to make their information trustworthy. 

A recent study published in the "Science" journal revealed that fake news spreads substantially faster than real news on Twitter, even when removing bot accounts. Why would false information travel faster? The study's researchers suggest that fake news spreads faster because of its novelty. I agree – fake news can be more eye-catching and emotionally provocative than real news. 

People have different motives for posting fake news. Some want to sway public opinion, while others unknowingly post false information without knowing its long-term effects. Regardless of intent, fake news has lasting implications. For instance, false information about COVID-19 led to increased accidental poisonings after former president Donald Trump suggested that bleach injections could help kill the COVID-19 virus. A study conducted by the CDC revealed that in January, February, and March of 2020, bleach poisonings rose 7%, 1%, and 59%. 

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock 

In addition to affecting physical health, fake news can also scar people emotionally. For example, David Wheeler, parent of school shooting victim Benjamin Wheeler, had rumors started about him on social media that impersonated him and accused him of fraud. Some parents of victims even received death threats. 

Fake news has the power to divide, drastically affect people's health and security, turn people against each other, sway political campaigns, and ruin reputations. Yet, so much is acceptable under the umbrella of free speech. In my opinion, social media networks should take on more of a responsibility of fact-checking content. Users have the freedom to say whatever they want, but platforms as private companies also can ban accounts that spread misinformation. Social networks must implement a better way of establishing credibility and fact-checking before misinformation goes viral. 

Keeping One's Head Afloat Amidst a Sea of Fake News

 Zoe Touris

zt700218@ohio.edu

Photo courtesy of The Economist

In a world so oversaturated by "Breaking News" and the relentless drive to get as many views, clicks, and reads as possible, it is more crucial now than ever to decipher between what is fact and what is fiction within the media. Although one should turn to their favorite news site and trust the reporting being fed to them; unfortunately, it is not the reality.

While the term "fake news" has only recently become a popular term, fabricated and wrongfully-colored stories have been in circulation within the field of journalism for centuries. In The Atlantic article The Grim Conclusions of the Largest-Ever Study of Fake News, author Robinson Meyer includes a quote from 17th-century essayist Jonathan Swift who wrote "Falsehood Flies, and the Truth comes limping after it." Although this statement was made three centuries ago and was a hyperbole, it still holds great truth and captures the atmosphere of fake news in current times.

In Columbia Journalism Review's article, The victims of fake news, Nina Berman discusses Orson Welles' 1938 broadcasting of The War of the Worlds and how he tricked the public into believing there had been an armed Martian invasion in New Jersey. While the purpose of this absurdly false story was to demonstrate that readers should not blindly digest every piece of information they come across, the effects of this world-ending story caused great havoc and panic throughout the country.

Considering that this alien invasion story was solely broadcasted over the radio, one can only imagine the power that the rise of social media and the internet has over fake news. However, with new, the opportunity for billions of users to access anything posted to the internet comes great responsibility for those posting to provide reputable content for their readers and the readers not to believe everything they may come across.

In the largest-ever study of fake news conducted by scientists and legal scholars, the research found that time and time again, false information has a much more significant impact on the masses than accurate information. As a result, this study called for redesigning the information ecosystem to reduce the spread of fake news and highlight the psychology behind the plight of this phenomenon. 

While fake media may always be prevalent in the world of the media, we must be able to decipher between what we can trust and what we can deem as fake news. Moving forward, if we as a society wish to repair our trust with the media, we must strive for the truth and improve our values throughout the field of journalism, aiming to improve our society constantly.

Fake News and the American Public

Madeline Thomas

mt688819@ohio.edu

Photo taken by Markus Winkler

Fake news is everywhere. As hard as we might try to avoid it, some incorrect clickbait or an exaggerated statistic will always be hiding right around the corner, waiting to be read. Fake news has infiltrated all forms of media and topics, from Twitter and Facebook to medical discoveries and government policies. The real kicker is how authentic and informative fake news might seem. It does not matter whether readers are college-educated or have high-paying jobs. They are still able to fall for a well-written but wildly inaccurate article.

When I was a child, my mother had a habit of finding (and then believing) fake news. I remember her telling me about how chemtrails were put into the air to poison the American public slowly and how she did not want to get vaccines because they might make me autistic. I was not even allowed to get a fluoride treatment when I went to the dentist because she had found some false information about how fluoride was unsafe to consume.

These ideas of dangerous chemicals being put into chemtrails and vaccines might seem silly or even ridiculous to many people, but not all American's see it that way. My mother went to college, got a degree, and held a steady job for many years. Yet she, too, was able to fall down the rabbit hole of antigovernmental conspiracy theories that are sprinkled all over the Internet.

An article titled "Misinformation, fake news, and implications for the PR industry" by Osama Tahir noted that the number of people who believe in fake news is growing at an alarming rate. In recent years, issues with former president Trump and the global Covid-19 pandemic have only increased the spread of misinformation in the news.

When Covid-19 hit, it was like my childhood was replaying itself in real-time. Again, I saw the same fear and determination in people's eyes that I saw in my mother's many years ago, only now it was as my friends and family discussed the newest medical updates and "cures." Anita Varma, author of "Five (Subtle) Types of Misinformation in Media Coverage of Coronavirus," listed just a few of the ways that fake news has taken root as journalists and readers alike attempt to simplify the ongoing pandemic.

Unfortunately, if history has taught us anything, fake news will always be around. As a journalist, it is my top priority to correct any fake news that I read or write because I believe that the American public deserves to read the truth and not any more fake news.

Fake News and Major Events

Sydney Walters

sw844317@ohio.edu

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting was one of the most horrific events in the United States in recent memory. Unfortunately, these major shootings and terrible events have ravished our world over the past decade, and with them, we've seen an increase in fake news associated with these events. From these mass shootings to the Covid-19 pandemic, one name has consistently been thrown around as the perpetrator of these events. 

Sam Hyde

If anyone has followed the Twitter world or even news platforms, the name Sam Hyde is likely a familiar sight surrounding many tragedies in the past several years. In reality, Sam Hyde is a YouTuber and comedian. In the media and Twitterverse, Sam Hyde is usually the first suspect of mass shootings and even the person responsible for the spread of Covid-19. 

After a shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, TX, the Sam Hyde hoax found its way into the mainstream media. While being interviewed regarding the event, Vicente Gonzalez, a representative from Texas, told CNN that the gunman was Sam Hyde. This interview was broadcast on a news platform that is commonly the first place people go during moments of crisis. Although it was quickly rectified when the real identity was released, this mishap further ignited the distrust in the media. 

Major Crisis and a Distrust in Media

Social media hoaxes like this are dangerous and could damage an innocent person's life. These events also perpetuate a distrust in the media. In the moment of a significant crisis, the media and people placed on the media (like politicians and government officials) will report these hoaxes as facts to provide people with the most up-to-date information. When the facts are finally revealed, the media platforms will need to reverse their statements, which always creates distrust in the media. 

Where is Fake News Coming From?

Griffin Shaivitz

gs813919@ohio.edu 

Courtesy of Getty Images

From the grassy knoll to 9/11 was an inside job, from every UFO sighting to who killed JonBenét Ramsey, the idea of conspiracy theories and fake news has been something of a mainstay over the past few decades. However, with the boom in technology and having easier ways to communicate with people, the amount of falsity and misrepresentation has only increased as time goes on. This rise of fake news has also made its way into the mainstream media instead of staying on sites like Kiwi Farms and 4Chan due to President Trump's vocal outcry of distrust in "fake news media" and "false facts." However, there is always a source and a trail behind any news or information. To find the source of the misinformation and show the general public the facts is something journalists should strive to accomplish, as the public needs to know what they cannot trust.

Where are the sources of fake news?

As said previously, fake news has always been around since the dawn of time. People constantly lie to one another, but not on as big a scale nor one as convincing as the conspiracy theories we face surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, most Americans who are unvaccinated have a strong opinion of why they haven't taken the vaccine yet. The most important part of this graph below is the political side of who has confidence in the vaccine and who doesn't. The graph also reveals the telling sign of their ideals and where they get information.

Courtesy of Pew Research Center

As you can see, most people who are not confident about the vaccine are unvaccinated republicans with about 45%. The article also tells that most unvaccinated people believed that they did not have enough information about the vaccine or did not know about any possible health risks relating to the COVID-19 vaccine. But the main question is, where are these people getting information from? That place would be Fox News, where according to a survey done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 30% of unvaccinated people cite Fox as their main outlet for information. That is alarming and needs to continue to come to light, as Fox News continues to post false facts and fake news surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine and is placing doubts and fears of getting the vaccine into their viewers.

How do we combat fake news?

As Osama Tahir of AgilityPR said, the main goal of PR is to promote brand image and trust. A brand is an asset that has not and will not be changed with the rise of fake news. However, the margin for error and making sure we can combat fake news with facts should be considered with every campaign or movement. However, this is a good thing, as it means that people can be held accountable for promoting false narratives. If what media people choose to consume is always truthful, and they tell the public which sites or stories are not, then fake news will be less frequent. We will always have the Tucker Carlson's and Alex Jones' of the media world, but proving they are wrong and backing up what is right will be a considerable feat to overcome, but a necessary one.

Fake news and the impact of mass misinformation on COVID-19

 By KATY SNODGRASS 

ks439219@ohio.edu 

"The Great Moon Hoax" by The Sun tabloid from 1835. The image is from a series of false articles by the nonexistent Edinburgh Journal of Science depicting the discovery of life on the moon. (Brown.) History Reference | The Great Moon Hoax of 1835 (archive.org)

As long as journalism and free speech have existed in the United States, fake news has been an issue within all types and formats of media. We, as humans, have an un-scratchable itch for attention-grabbing stories and compelling headlines that started as early as the invention of the printing press. 

"A Brief History of Fake News"  

According to the article attached above, the history of fake news can be dated as far back as 1755, with the Catholic Church publishing false propaganda regarding an earthquake. The spreading of false information for the sake of gossip and tabloid sales is not a new concept; however, the introduction of social media has dramatically increased the scope in which the masses can consume false information. 

The spread of fake news has steadily increased since the early 2010s and continues to worsen as more information about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is discovered and released daily. Anita Varma, the assistant director of Journalism and Media Ethics at Santa Clara University, describes five different types of misinformation spread specifically about COVID-19 in an article for SCU. 

While each category of COVID fake news listed by Varma was different, the overarching theme was bending the truth to fit a group's political and ideological views. According to Varma's article, whether it be a failure to accurately report on case numbers and the death toll or businesses denying the risks of COVID-19 to try and save themselves from going under. 

"Studying Fake News and COVID-19"

Due to how recent the COVID-19 pandemic started and the continuing discoveries being made each day about how to combat the virus, new research is also being done covering social media's impact on the spread of COVID-19 related false information. Such as the attached study conducted by Telematics and Informatics, a notable journal that publishes "innovative theoretical and methodological research on the social, economic, geographic, political, and cultural impacts of digital technologies." 

Telematics and Informatics found that there is an ongoing misinformation phenomenon throughout society because of social media's popularity. Even government figures and noteworthy individuals alter information to suit their beliefs better. That has caused increased panic levels about the virus with a decreased amount of truthful, accurate information. 

According to research, Lampos et al., 2020 argued that along with the urgency of finding treatment for COVID-19, fake news proliferation has intensified on social media, which many experts believe contributes to the pandemic's threats. 

For now, only time will tell how the long-lasting effects misinformation has on public health as the pandemic continues and new variants pop up and spread. 

To cite or not to cite: that is the ethical question

Jamie Miller

jm834949@ohio.edu

Image by UNCW Randall Library

"We need to hold accountability to our sources," Ohio University Professor Aimee Edmondson stated in a Communication Law class in Fall 2021. "It is unfair any other way." Edmondson stuck to her extensive experience writing as a journalist when lecturing on this complicated issue. In her eyes, a source must be willing to deal with the consequences of possibly false information when reporting to a credible news source.

But does this statement hold up in every scenario? In other words, is it always ethical?

NPR's article NPR Standards Need More Clarity Around When To Name A Mass Shooter begs to differ. The news station currently minimizes the name of mass shooters in its stories instead of focusing on the victims affected. This policy is made to minimize any cause that the shooter intended to publicize. For example, if a shooter wished to increase publicity towards a white supremacist group, it would be counterproductive to name the shooter and credit the terrorist organization. It may glamorize the shooter's actions or encourage a copycat shooter. Additionally, giving the name to the terrorist organization provides an aspect of legitimacy that may accredit others to join such an organization.

Noting the names and organizations affiliated with such murderers may also retraumatize the victims and their families. To grieve the loss of a loved one is difficult. But coping with loss while combating media attention feels immoral to inflict. 

On the other hand, including information on the shooter's background may help prevent further shootings. For example, if a shooter suffered from severe mental health issues as an underage person, perhaps we should apply more restrictions to potential gun owners and any who may get access to their gun. Additionally, publishing a shooter's name could raise awareness of the importance of gun safety and mental health in their community. 

When contemplating the extent to which sources should be named, it is impossible to overlook instances of rape allegations. Initially, one may feel a sense of vigilante justice to name the accused rapist and protect the victim's identity. According to The Cut's article, Almost No One Is Falsely Accused of Rape, an estimated 95 percent of college students do not report assaults to police. The publicity of such a trial may prove overwhelming, to put it mildly. As a result, an estimated 0.5 percent of the assault accusations from college students are found to be false. But anonymous sources may lack credibility; a newspaper may foster apprehension when citing such an individual. 

Therefore, the question remains: to cite or not to cite? That is the ethical question. 

Journalist and Social Media

André Norrils

an513020@ohio.edu

Social media is a massive part of many people's lives. Some use it for leisure, and others use it to contact friends and family. Many people use social media to share their opinion about all types of issues–but can journalists? Social media is relatively new, and more platforms are still being made. New rules are being established as situations arise. With such a large number of people being on social media, journalists need to use it and sometimes required. But many journalists have certain restrictions made by their employers.

Credit: pewresearch.org

Pew Research conducted a study on news consumption across social media for 2021. They found that almost 50% of people get their news from social media platforms. With many people turning to social media for their news, professional journalists need to be active on social media platforms. But many journalists are held back from posting their opinion on social media without pushback from their place of employment–even if it's a personal account. 

In a GBH News article, In Defense of Neutrality, it states that you asked someone if they had an opinion, and they said they were objective "you would probably think they are either liar or sociopath." But this is what many news organizations expect from their journalist. These organizations believe that if their journalist's opinions are shared, it will cause the whole media organization to lose credibility. Some may believe these rules hold journalists from being human or using their freedom of speech. Others think that since journalists deliver news to the public, how will the public know if the journalist isn't twisting the facts. News organizations have a reason to be worried, but there may be a solution to this.

The New Ethics of Journalism talks a lot about transparency. Being as transparent as possible with the public can help gain trust from the public. In Defense of Neutrality, it says building relationships with the public would help show that you can have and share views on subjects and report unbiased information because it's your job. But, journalists have to be careful because the journalism field doesn't work like that just yet. When some people don't trust news organizations, we have to work together to gain that trust back.