The availability of software used to manipulate audio and video is increasing. This article entitled, "Don't Let Them Fake You Out: How Artificially Mastered Videos Are Becoming the Newest Threat in the Disinformation War and What Social Media Platforms Should Do About It" gives you an idea of what's possible. (If you are off campus or on wifi, you'll need to login to read the article).
We know that fake news is not less likely to check verified news sources. They use facts from verified news and layer it with misinformation. When confronted by both the fake news and verified news, people tend to discount both the misinformation and the facts. That's the power of fake news.
Additionally, most adults use social media to get their news. Columbia Journalism Review reports that 30% of fake news can be linked back to Facebook while only 8% of verified news is linked from Facebook. There are fewer fake news sources than verified news sources but with social media, their reach is that much more pronounced.
Here are some ways you can make a difference now.
1. Think before you share. Read the entire piece before you decide whether or not to share.
2. Verify an unlikely story. Use the tools on the Fact Checking page.
3. Rethink your news diet. Expand your information network to include diverse perspectives from quality sources. To help you find news sources, check out the News & Newspapers research guide below.
4. Evaluate your news using the S.I.F.T. method.