Critical Thinking

Fake News

At the most basic level, fake news is false or misleading information that has be packaged or presented in a way that makes it look like it came from a legitimate news source. Because it looks legitimate, people easily believe the information and share with others creating a vicious cycle.

• Pure fake news sites use fabricated stories to lure traffic, encourage clicks (click bait), influence or profit using intentionally deceptive, but highly intriguing, often sensational information.
• Hoax sites also share false information with the intention to trick readers/viewers
• Satirical sites present news with a comical, often exaggerated spin
• Born digital images and edited images alter and often misrepresent visual reality

Valenza, J. (2016, November 26). Truth, truthiness, triangulation: A news literacy toolkit for a "post-truth" world. http://blogs.slj.com/neverendingsearch/2016/11/26/truth-truthiness-triangulation-and-the-librarian-way-a-news-literacy-toolkit-for-a-post-truth-world/