by Bob Rosenbaum
Heights Observer Project Co-Chair
and Vice President of The Press Club of Cleveland
According to recent news reports (including this one from
Politico), the fake news cycle of the 2020 election is well underway.
For media pros, spotting malicious disinformation may be second
nature. But most people don’t know what to look for. When someone in my
social network passes along fake news, I point it out and provide this
simple list of clues. Feel free to share it with your non-media friends –
no attribution required.
Five simple tests to identify fake news
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Check your emotions. Disinformation
is designed to play off your biases. The stronger your emotional
reaction is, the more likely it is that you’re being manipulated. Don’t
share it yet.
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Check the date. Fake news is often published without a date so it just keeps circulating. If there’s no date, don’t share it.
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Identify the publisher. If
you don’t recognize and trust the news source, don’t share before doing
a Google search to find out more about it. Legitimate media companies
are easy to find; that’s their business.
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Consider the reporter’s sources. If
there are no sources cited, don’t share. If the sources are unnamed,
pay attention to how they’re described. Legitimate media will usually
provide some context to demonstrate why an unnamed source is credible.
Absent such context, assume it’s fake.
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Search for corroborating reports.
If you’re still unsure after all that, it's your responsibility to do
more footwork before sharing. Look for other versions of the story on
Google. If you find any, make sure they’re independently reported – and
not just someone else citing the same story. No corroboration? Don’t
share it.
Still not sure? Then assume it’s
fake. Even if it turns out to be real, nobody will be harmed if they
don’t hear it from you first.