Note: The views and opinions expressed in blog/editorial posts are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views or opinions of Misbar.
When news comes at you from many different sources, it is often difficult determining which (if any) are legitimate. In particular, social media news sharing often includes fake news, pictures, and videos. Social media sites usually share fake news to increase revenue through high site traffic.
Some social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have taken to labeling fake news when they can identify it. However, while this is helpful in slowing the spread of fake news, people post to social media at a rate that is impossible to fully control.
Beyond social media sites, there are also news sites whose primary goal is to spread fake news. Sites such as Stuppid and the National Report purposely share fake news stories for the purpose of entertainment. These sites are often easy to determine, since their claims are so outlandish that they are extremely unlikely to be real.
But how do you determine whether a news site that seems legitimate actually is?
One way is by using the Media Bias Chart, which ranks news sources from liberal to conservative and fake to facts, and then applying critical thinking skills to figure out if the news they post is real. You can also compare stories from sources on opposite ends of the spectrum (Fox and CNN, for example). The “real” story, without spin, likely lies in the liminal space between the two.
To ascertain if a news site is reputable, it can be helpful to take these steps and questions into consideration:
- Read the “About Us” section of the website.
- Look up the website on the Media Bias Chart or on other news-checking sites.
- See if the news site publishes fact-checks if errors are made. If they do, they are more likely to be reputable.
- Note if the headlines seem to match up with the articles.
- See if authors are given bylines.
- Does the site follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics?
- If the story seems written in a way that is meant to cause an emotional reaction, look up the story on other news sites.
- Read the story on multiple news sites.
- Does the news site make its own content, or does it simply collect content from outside sources?
By applying critical thinking skills and taking these into consideration, you should be able to determine if a news source is legitimate.
