How to recognize a fake: the main markers of false information?
Lies on the Internet often disguise themselves as truth. But there are ways to recognize them — learn to notice the “red flags” of fakes.
Did you know that there is a simple way to distinguish fakes from the truth? Fake news has certain features or markers. If a message has these signs, the information is most likely fake. Let’s look at the main ones.
- Emotional headlines and text.
The author uses topics that attract attention: sensations, scandals, conspiracy theories. To hook the reader, headlines often distort information or provide it incompletely: “The Horrible Truth: We Were Told How Doctors Kill People.” Sometimes the author does not give specifics, but writes: “To everyone!”; “Attention!”; “Must read!”
• Errors and signs of translation.
The author tries to humanize the message or even makes mistakes on purpose to gain more trust. Sometimes errors appear after a bad translation. This happens when a foreign source spreads fake news on the Internet.
- Dubious sources.
The author does not indicate the source of the information or refers to third parties without specifics: “a famous scientist”, “an acquaintance from the secret services”, “everyone already knows”. It happens that they refer to sources that have previously been caught lying or to “yellow” publications.
- “Declassified” information.
The author tries to pass off information as the truth that was hidden from people. To do this, he uses phrases such as: “Finally it became clear”; “The truth has been revealed”; “We were deceived, but now everything has fallen into place.”
- Manipulation of information.
The author may change dates or use photos and videos that are not related to the events described. For example, illustrating news about unrest in one country with footage that was filmed several years ago in another country.
- Compromising the state.
The author may try to discredit the government as a whole or individual representatives: insults, threats, publishes fictitious incriminating evidence. For example, “Mayor John Doe is appropriating orphans’ apartments.”
- Call to action.
The author may provoke people to take some action: “Let’s go out into the streets!”; “Stock up on groceries before it’s too late”; “Don’t drink the water.”
- Call to spread.
The author persistently asks readers to share information: “Please warn your relatives”; “Share the message — everyone should know the truth!”; “Maximum repost!”
- Bots and mass publications.
The author may use fake accounts to spread the fake or the fake is simultaneously published in several publics. In such cases, mass likes, identical comments and reposts from accounts that are not associated with the original account are typical.
An example of analyzing a fake by markers
Let’s see how markers look in real life. For example, let’s take a fake message about the government allegedly planning to turn the country into an electronic concentration camp. The author claims that cities will be closed and chipped slaves will remain in them, and children will be taken from their families and taken away. For educational purposes, we will shorten the message and leave the important ones:
“Everyone!!! Everyone!!! Pay close attention to this information!!! This autumn will be very intense — so to speak, the most important battle of good and evil for the lives, souls and minds of humanity. Those who see will put together the last puzzles about liquification, evacuation, emergency, dissolution of government agencies, end of trusts and so on into one big picture. Those who are stung become a chipped race of slaves with altered genetics. Cities will be closed and checkpoints will be set up with road and highway closures, restricting the movement of the population of our country. Children in schools have already been instructed several times on the evacuation procedure. The government signed a decree allowing children to be taken away without their parents’ knowledge. There is an act allowing medical intervention on schoolchildren. It is also unsafe in neighboring countries — a merger into a large digital camp is being prepared, which was repeatedly mentioned in the prophetic cartoon “The Simpsons”. Your first steps: 1. Purchase long-term storage products, hygiene and medical supplies, fuel, an electric generator, a solar charger, a respirator or gas mask. 2. Preserve and freeze food. 3. Create your own seed base. … 12. May God help us.”
Now let’s go through the paragraphs again and mark the markers.
- Emotional headline:
“Everyone!!! Everyone!!! Pay very close attention to this information!!!”
- Emotional text and several catchy topics in one sentence:
“This autumn will be very intense — so to speak, the most important battle of good with evil for the lives, souls and minds of humanity. Whoever sees it will put together the last puzzle pieces about liquification evacuation, emergency, dissolution of government agencies, end of trusts and so on into one big picture. Those who are stung become a chipped race of slaves with altered genetics. Cities will be closed and checkpoints will be set up with roads and highways blocked, restricting the movement of the population of our country.”
- Compromise of power:
“Children in schools have already been instructed several times on the evacuation procedure.
The government has signed a decree allowing children to be taken away without the knowledge of their parents. There is an act allowing medical intervention on schoolchildren.”
- Dubious source:
“It is also unsafe in neighboring countries — a merger into a large digital camp is being prepared, which was repeatedly mentioned in the prophetic cartoon “The Simpsons.”
- Call to action:
“Your first steps are: 1…,2…,3….”
It is important to remember that markers are not a 100% guarantee that you are looking at a fake. But if you come across them, stop and think. If there is no way to verify the information, treat it with caution. The more often you analyze the news, the faster you will learn to see the catch. However, you can be completely sure only after a full check. You can learn how to do this from other materials in the educational section of GFCN.