On Halloween Eve 1938, CBS Radio - broadcast reports of a devastating alien invasion advancing on New York City. But all was not as it seemed.
Fake news, also called disinformation or misinformation, is a term we hear over and over again. But what is fake news, exactly, and how can we spot it? Disinformation usually appears on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or may be sent via messaging apps. But misleading information or so called "fake news" often unravels with a little digging. Often you just need to know what to look for or where. CBC News set up an investigative team to chase real stories that were turned into misinformation or disinformation. They discovered some interesting facts about who was sharing what and how it gets distorted.
When a man walked into a New York pizza parlour in December 2016 with an assault rifle and said he was checking out the story that there was a child sex-trafficking ring in the basement, run by former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, the world took notice. It was a fake news story called "Pizzagate," planted online, that went viral. Now it’s getting harder to tell truth from fiction on the Internet. But why has “fake news” spiked? Some say it’s because there’s money to be made. Others say it’s foreign countries trying to manipulate the outcome of important events such as the U.S. presidential election. Whatever the case, “fake news” has gone viral.
The internet is full of articles, videos and photos that claim to be true. But how can you be sure? These days, almost anybody with access to a digital device and some basic skills can make stuff up and package it in a way that looks like real news.
There’s disinformation, when false information is created on purpose to trick people. There’s also misinformation, when information is shared by people who don’t realize it’s fake. And then there’s real news, written by journalists who have to follow strict rules that are enforced by the organizations they work for.
CBC
Whether during an election or just a regular day of the year, people are bombarded with news and information in their feeds. So how do we know what's true and what's false? A lot of it unravels with a little digging. We show you what to look for and how to protect yourself from falling for disinformation and misinformation.
TEDED
Dive into the phenomenon known as circular reporting and how it contributes to the spread of false news and misinformation.
Don't believe everything you read. Fake news and disinformation online are serious concerns for Canadians. Watch the video and learn how to SPOT fake news and stop it in its tracks.
Tips and tricks for verifying images and videos, and a look at how they are often manipulated.
Fake news and disinformation are increasingly spreading on the internet, especially on social media. But how can you recognize fake news, and why is it being shared so widely? This theme presents the issue and gives some tips on how to protect yourself from fake news and disinformation.
Video series about Media Literacy and