Oct 2, 2019 -

HOW STUDENTS DEAL WITH FAKE NEWS ONLINE

A 2018 Pew Research Center survey found that many people, especially younger people, get their news from online sources like social media rather than print newspaper. Everyday on college campuses, many students are looking at their phones or laptops in order to stay connected with the world. The ease of information access, however, can cause problems.

“Fake News” is a term that rose to prominence during the 2016 presidential election and is typically understood to be phony news stories or posts intentionally created to mislead. But with all the information on the web, it’s getting harder to separate fact from fake. 

“I don’t usually check my sources very often, especially who the author is or just like if I see something, just like a news headline, I’m probably not gonna research it if it doesn’t interest me,” said Fresno State student Joel Anderson.  

Sites like Facebook and Google have tried to tackle the issue on their platforms, but it has been challenging. Anyone can create fake news, and lies spread quickly on social media. There are even sites that mimic the appearance of real sites. Always check the URLs to ensure you’re getting the real deal.

Fresno State student Bailey Gong said he’s no expert but he is careful about where he gets his news. “I mean if it’s news from some kind of sketchy site that I’ve never heard of before, then I know that I read it with a grain of salt knowing that it could be not that accurate,” said Gong.

Taking the time to ensure the information you’re getting is accurate is key. “If someone posts something that I’m like, hmm something interesting about I would research myself and see, like my own opinion, get my own opinion out of it,” said student Cecilia Olguin.

A few seconds of checking your sources can mean the difference between reading a fact or a fake.

For more information on how to combat fake news visit these links:

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