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This is when false or wrong information is shared by others on purpose (or even by accident!) online and on social media. Often, fake news is interesting to the general public and can be shared enough by online users to "trend," (or become highly popular) in a short period of time. Think of fake news as the public version of world-wide gossip: it can have a huge impact on how we think about people, events, and ideas even when they are completely false or wrong.
Look at the following news articles that have been determined as fake news. What do you notice about these articles? What would happen if everyone believed these sources to be truth? |
Online "trolls" are somewhat similar to fake news posters in that they often post untrue information, but often the "trolls" do not receive as many readers as a news page. "Trolls", just like fake news writers, are often out to get an emotional reaction from readers and to cause chaos online. For some, it is simply fun to mess with other people. Fake news also seeks an emotional reaction from readers, but usually the news will cause many people to react the same way. For example, fake news that a massive corporate grocery store has started using child labour will typically cause most people to fight against or refuse to buy from this store. On the other hand, trolls typically aim to cause general upset in readers. |
Further Reading and
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1) Check out where the news comes from: Investigate the author and the website URL: Many online news sources, like newspunch.com, appear to be honest but instead are recognized for spreading fake news. Other websites, like theonion.com, post using satire, a form of comedy that makes jokes around true information in the attempt to expose and criticize the truth. Oftentimes, satire is spread and understood, by accident, to be truth! 2) Read beyond just the title: Sometimes on social media, we come across news headlines and descriptions that shock us. However, the point of a news headline is to grab attention, and often authors and news sources will exaggerate in a headline to attract readers. "Clickbait" refers to tactics advertisers will use online to trick you into clicking on their news article or advertisement. Read the entire article and ask yourself, "Does the title really represent what the article said?" Don't spread misinformation if you are not sure if it is correct. |
3) Fact check against other sources:
If a news article or a post has you doubtful it is true, or it has you confused because it disagrees with something you already know, search for reliable sources that comment on the topic. You will have to use your critical thinking skills to decide whether the "truth" the article is sharing is actually real or whether it is a sample of fake news. It is also important to recognize that every author and every news outlet contain both obvious and hidden biases, or tendencies to agree with certain things based on previous beliefs. For example, a Canadian newspaper that has several American journalists might begin to write about American events in an overly positive light. By being alert for these biases, we can be better digital citizens by thinking critically. On the right are fact-checking websites and large media groups. Can you determine their biases? Do you think they are valuable sources to learn from? |
"[W]ith the touch of a button--you can take down your career, you can take down your boss, you can ruin a relationship--romantic or otherwise. And these things won't go away...[I]t's a lot easier to control the conversation than it is to change it. But in the world of online--it's ten times harder." |
Each day, our activities, actions, contributions, and communications all add to the lasting active digital footprint that we have. When you actively post online, you take the risk that someone will screenshot, share, or preserve your post. The words you post can be taken out of context and altered, or they can be used against you. Anything you post online can be recovered or traced, even if you delete it.
The words we say have an impact. |
First, take these steps for SPACE: S – Stop: Type what you want to say, but don’t post it. P – Pause: Wait for at least an hour, or even sleep on it. Often our emotions or rash decisions will pass. A – Assess: THINK about what you’ve typed. Is this something you want to be permanent and public? Use the THINK questions below to assess your post. |
Our digital footprints are made up of many things we might not think of, such as:
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Issues with Passive Digital Footprints:
With some of the permissions we give, phone users are even beginning to worry that cellphone microphones are recording what we say and then targeting advertisements toward us based on what we have been speaking about. Investigate the topic for yourself: |
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Want to see for yourself what information Google, one of the biggest online companies, has saved and tracked about you? Check out myactivity.google.com for a complete history of what you have searched, viewed, where you have gone, and more.
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For more information and quizzes about digital footprints, check out the following website resource.
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