Research Guides: Fake News, Misinformation, &amp; Propaganda: Identifying &amp; Stopping Fake News

Identifying Fake News

Tips for Finding Facts on the Web

Consider the source: Abnormal domain names can be an indication of fake news.
Check the URL: Fake news sites will often make a web address that looks like a real site, but might include a .co at the end of the address.
Watch for visual clues such as all caps, grammar mistakes, or sloppy design.
Research the author. Is that individual a knowledgeable and credible source on the given topic?
Use fact-checking resources like the websites provided here and tools like the Wayback Machine to do your own investigating.
Conduct a reverse image search on Google or TinEye to verify images.

Other helpful suggestions:

Open a new tab for each piece of information, rather than following links in the same tab.
Be aware of bias.
When in doubt, find another resource.

How to combat fake news and disinformation
Journalism is in a state of considerable flux. New digital platforms have unleashed innovative journalistic practices that enable novel forms of communication and greater global reach than at any point in human history. But on the other hand, disinformation and hoaxes that are popularly referred to as “fake news” are accelerating and affecting the way individuals interpret daily developments. Driven by foreign actors, citizen journalism, and the proliferation of talk radio and cable news, many information systems have become more polarized and contentious, and there has been a precipitous decline in public trust in traditional journalism.