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News Literacy: What is fake news?

What is Fake News?

Fake news, misinformation, or "alternative facts" consists of false stories deliberately designed to mislead and misinform the public. It is often created to appear as legitimate or real news, in order to spread propaganda, confuse or distract the public, and typically pushes a particular agenda. Social media is the most common method for spreading fake news- as such, it is important to know how to tell the difference between fake and legitimate news. This guide will help you to distinguish the difference between these news types.

It is your duty as a responsible citizen to make informed decisions and stop the spread of fake news.

"Fake News" is also used to discredit reputable news outlets and silence dissent. Unfortunately, we also contribute to this type of censorship among ourselves.

How do I tell the difference between fake news and real/reputable news?

This guide will walk you though the process and provide examples from reputable new sites, as well as satire news, biased news, and fake news sites.

What's the difference between fake news and satire?

Satire news sites are designed to entertain, fake news sites are created to intentionally mislead.

Within this guide, the following news sources are examined:

*Please note these are examples and that the college is not making recommendations.

NPRThe Onion: America's Finest News SourceThe New York Times New RepublicAmerican News