Fake News in Media

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Fake News
Fake news refers to news stories that are fabricated, having no confirmable facts, quotes, or sources (University of Michigan Library par 1). Fake news is not something new to any netizen, what is likely to be new is how easy and fast the information spreads. The majority of social media users, if not all, have come across fake news as they navigate the different platforms. What is even more astonishing, is how this concocted news is consumed by a massive scale of surfers. These stories are propaganda designed to mislead the readers. Usually, the content creator benefits from the number of users who browse on pages covering the story. The niche of fake news seems to be bigger than simply these fabricated stories. Some of the stories may contain some truths but lack any verifiable details such as sources and facts. However, some news stories may exhibit common substantial details but are usually written in an exaggerated language. These pieces of information often neglect important details or simply focus on one viewpoint intending to cause harm. The main agenda of this type of work is to deceive the masses or shape public opinion and divert the truth.
I have come across and even shared fake news online. One evening when I was scrolling through my social media feed, I came across a link that claimed 5G was a cause of COVID-19. I read the story that had been shared multiple times and somehow believed it. I consequently shared with my friends on my wall. A few minutes later, I had set a heated discussion on my timeline. I had previously come across posts claiming 5G network was linked to the virus and even read how 5G masts had been destroyed. Therefore, I thought that the claims could be true. After all, I did not scrutinize well the sources. I was a victim of fake news and went on to spread the same rumor. After engaging my friends on social media and confirming that the claim was actually fake, I felt that I had let myself and my friends down.
After the incident, I made up my mind to always counter-check and fact-check any information I come across while browsing internet and social media pages. I learned it the hard way and now I can easily separate facts from fiction. This can be daunting to the majority of social media users but finding the truth is usually worth the effort. One of the main aspects that make fake news a big issue is that it is often believable, and so it is likely to get attention from internet users. As shown by the CNN report, the websites appear professional and mimic legitimate ones (CNN). The inventors of fake news employ different tactics to lure their followers. For example, most of fake sto...