Learning to recognise fake news

The customers of the Washington pizzeria Comet Ping Pong are shocked when an armed man suddenly storms into the restaurant on 4 December 2016. The 28-year-old threatened the staff and customers with an assault rifle and demanded information about an alleged paedophile ring that was up to mischief in the same pizzeria. The background to his actions are rumours that have been circulating on the internet for weeks, even implicating US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Only: it is fake news, a false report that was knowingly spread on the internet by the political opponent.

Not new - but much faster

Fake news is also circulating in Switzerland. In mid-2016, for example, a mysterious go-kart gang in Zurich caused a stir. For weeks, the public and media puzzled over the supposed night-time speeders. In the end, they turned out to be an invention by two students who wanted to prove in their final thesis how a myth can be created in a very short space of time via the media.

Gokart Gang turned out to be two students who wanted to show how quickly fake news spreads.

However: «Fake news is not a new problem,» says Konrad Weber, digital strategist at SRF. False reports and so-called newspaper hoaxes have existed before.
But they spread much faster on the internet. «All kinds of people can comment on topics on social media. There are no journalistic guidelines on factual accuracy and objectivity, as is the case with media organisations such as Swiss radio and television,» explains Konrad Weber. Nowadays, fake news spreads primarily via social media such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter etc. Users can share the content with others with just a few clicks. Fake news can quickly circulate thousands or even millions of times.

Everyone a (fake) news producer

There are various motives for spreading fake news. Some are about money: their creators use sensational reports to lure internet users to a website where they earn money through advertising. Others have political motives: fake news is intended to harm the opponent. The authors can be governments, but also individuals who want to defame minorities. At a time when almost everyone has a smartphone with a camera and an internet connection, this can be done without much effort. On the internet, creators of fake news can find plenty of material that they can manipulate and use for their own purposes.
According to the «Quality of the Media 2017» yearbook published by the Research Institute for the Public Sphere and Society (fög) at the University of Zurich, there are more and more people who no longer use the media to find out about world events or only get news of poor quality from free newspapers or social media.

Internet users in the filter bubble

The proportion of so-called news-deprived people is now 31 per cent. In 2009, this group still accounted for 21 per cent. The proportion of people between the ages of 18 and 24 who inform themselves almost exclusively via social media is particularly high: Around a quarter do not obtain news via traditional media such as TV or newspapers, but via Facebook etc. This means that many young people in particular come into contact with fake news. Social media are emotional media. This means that a lot of things that amaze or infuriate people are liked and shared.

Social media are emotional media. This means that people like and share things that make them surprised or angry.

The problem here is that Facebook uses an algorithm that shows users content on their homepage that Facebook friends have liked or that corresponds to their own topic preferences. The user quickly finds themselves in a so-called filter bubble. «There's a lack of dialogue with other people and confrontation with other opinions,» says Daniel Vogler, Head of Research at fög.
People who frequently visit Facebook communities in which extremist ideas or conspiracy theories are spread, for example, are shown more and more of this questionable content. This can lead to a completely distorted view of the world and make people susceptible to simple answers to complex problems and populism.

Solution approaches

In order to tackle the problem of fake news, the established media houses need to become even more active on social media and publish even more high-quality content tailored to younger target groups. There is less trust in the established media among news-deprived people, especially younger people. As the potential for direct communication is particularly high in social media, established media should seek dialogue and build trust there.
Another solution is the much-cited media literacy. «Only with a critical mind, the necessary dose of scepticism and regular comparisons of different sources of information can you avoid the danger of falling for fake news,» explains Konrad Weber.
Above all, parents and schools are called upon to give children and young people the skills they need to use the new media in an informed and critical manner.

Schools are now almost universally addressing the dangers of social media as part of Curriculum 21.

A lot has happened in schools in this respect. The focus there is no longer just on the practical use of media, but also on media reflection, which provides information about potential negative aspects. Schools are now almost universally addressing the dangers of social media as part of Curriculum 21. This is mainly done by external experts, such as associations, the Swiss Children and Family Foundation Pro Juventute and the police.
Apart from the correct use of social media, there is another key point. «I think it's particularly important to build a knowledge network, i.e. to prioritise relationships rather than specific information technologies,» says Philippe Wampfler, teacher and new media expert. He recommends asking questions directly. One of the strengths of social media is that you can contact the author of a post directly and ask questions if you are sceptical or don't understand something.
If you communicate and ask questions, you will soon find out which social channels are reputable. «Today, it's crucial to know who you can trust.» This applies in particular to content on Facebook, Twitter and co.
Image: pexels

Online dossier on media consumption

How do I recognise fake news?

• Be critical, scrutinise. Drastic images and intrusive headlines generate emotions and cast a spell. However, they can be a first indication of dubious news. The general rule is: be critical and scrutinise!

• Countercheck the content. Copy parts of the headline and search on Google. Who else is reporting on the topic? And if so, in what form? Almost identical wording often indicates unreflectedly shared fake news.

• Evaluate sources. Who wrote the article? Is the author's name there? If so, google the name. What else does the author publish? For which media? If the author is anonymous or the website on which the report appears is anonymous, this is the first sign of fake news.
• Check images. www.tineye.com or images.google.com you can upload the photo of an article and search for it on the internet. In this way, you can check whether the image possibly originates from a completely different context.
• Use reporting functions. Some social media offer reporting functions for fake news and inappropriate content. Make use of these if there is suspicion of dubious content.
• Share with caution. Everyone can help prevent fake news from spreading on the internet and in the real world. Therefore, be critical and scrutinise whether you share content on social media. When sharing content from Facebook «friends», always ask yourself: Who can you trust?

To the author:

Read more:

• "Social media is as addictive as cocaine," says Austrian psychiatrist Dr Kurosch Yazdi. In this interview, the addiction specialist talks about the «digital drug» social media and the danger for children and young people of losing themselves in it.

• Smart with your first smartphone: giving a smartphone as a gift means giving trust. Read here about when the right time is, which rules make sense and download a sample contract for smartphone use.

• Smartphones have no place on the family island!Parenting guru Jesper Juul has long remained silent on the use of smartphones and tablets in families. But now he has spoken out very clearly on the subject.