I think I'm not the first one who's advocating this to happen.
BBC hit hard with their opening statement:
The deliberate making up of news stories to fool or entertain is nothing new. But the arrival of social media has meant real and fictional stories are now presented in such a similar way that it can sometimes be difficult to tell the two apart.
People nowadays easily believe what they see on the Internet. Because of social media, people can easily share and access a lot of information online.
The true issue is, are we reading what we see on the Internet? Or are we selectively believing what we want to believe?
Facebook's comment section is filled with different kinds of people. Keyboard warriors have created numerous conspiracies, as well as memes. These memes catch the attention of the crowd; it's funny but at the same time, people easily take it as the truth.
People shoud learn to read, research, and write properly. They shouldn't just create stories out of nowhere but they should be considerate of the facts, and the parties involved.
Here's some references on how to check if the article comes from a fake source:
- The Antiviral Guide to the Worst Hoaxers and Liars on Facebook
- List of Satirical Websites - Wikipedia
- A Guide to Fake News Websites - About.com
- Fake News Watch List of Hoax Websites, Satire, and Clickbait
However, there are instances that fake news site mix real news with fake news to fool people into believing that they publish truthful news. Google has now begun labeling fact-check articles in Google News to supplement other news articles.
We should be responsible of what we publish online. There are many fake accounts in Facebook and Twitter trying to manipulate the minds of people who easily believe these news. Learn how to identify fake Facebook accounts! It's fairly easy to spot one, but it also pays to report these people to Facebook.
If you want to take things up a notch, build a reputation for yourself. Be an advocate for truth.
- I regularly guest blog at different web design and development blogs whenever appropriate, but Engadget isn't the best venue for those things. I also contribute at other opinion-ed sites but I only talk about related things to their website.
- Be an advocate of the truth. Even if you know the truth, don't put up a fight and blast anyone who goes against your beliefs. Know the difference between an intelligent conversation and aimless bantering.
- Help educate people, but don't force it down their throats. This is especially true in social media whenever politics and religion is in question. Respect their ideas, but help educate people who ask for help in understanding things on the Internet.
Come share with us your tips on how people of today's Internet era can differentiate the good from the bad!