By Kavya Krishnan and Maya Kaitiaki
Ever used WhatsApp? Forget WhatsApp; have you ever watched the news? If you have, chances are, you’ve come across some very well-crafted propaganda, misinformation or fake news. And to those of you who’ve been able to identify propaganda and steer clear, kudos! But I’m sure that there are some of you ( there’s no need to hide ) who find it difficult to tell whether you’re engaging with propaganda or legitimate news. I mean, I know I struggle sometimes. Let me tell you; there’s no need to be embarrassed about it. A lot of thought goes into creating convincing propaganda, and sometimes entire IT cells are dedicated to spreading fake news. It can be tough to identify fake news and propaganda.
I hope I haven’t disheartened you, reader. I just wanted you to know what you’re up against. You still stand a chance. But how? How can you tell whether what you’re consuming is fake news or legitimate? The best method is practice. Keep engaging with the news in all its forms, and you’ll gradually begin to spot patterns and identify propaganda. But that takes time. For those of you who don’t have that kind of time or patience, I have a couple of nifty tips and tricks that might just help you become a pro at spotting propaganda. Here is a couple of them :
1. Notice how you react to the content
Let’s play a little game. I’m going to put a picture here of a news article, and I want you to go through it.
Read it? How does it make you feel? When I read it for the first time, I was obviously shocked! And very, very confused. But it’s news, so you gotta believe it, right? No! Wrong! It’s not news. It’s fake news.
Anytime you feel a strong emotional response to the news, go through it again and read it thoroughly.
In the news article above, the headline might make some enraged. It might make you livid. But before surrendering yourself completely to that emotion, read the entire article. Are there facts to support the headline? Does this person present a convincing argument? If not, it’s likely that you’re reading propaganda.
But hold on. That’s not to say that anytime you read an article that provokes a strong emotional response, you yell propaganda. Sometimes, an article could be factual but still provoke a tear-jerking response. Wait, have I confused you more? Argh, sorry. I’m only trying to say that if you read something that triggers an immediate reaction, take a minute, read through the article and then decide whether or not it’s reliable.
2. If what you’re reading is biased, think again
Let’s do another example.
Let’s talk about this one. The headline reads, ‘10 reasons Why NaMo is the Best PM for India‘. Umm, ok. First off, most news articles don’t have such openly biased headlines. Secondly, the article labours under the assumption that Modi is the best Prime Minister. Many people would disagree, I’m sure.
If you scroll down to the rest of the article, each “reason” is poorly justified and argued. I’d say that a good way to go about weeding the propaganda from real news is to look for superlatives in the headline and in the article. Such words like ‘worst’, ‘best’, and ‘most horrible’ should make you a little wary. Again, just because an article advertises something as the ‘best’, it doesn’t mean you don’t read it. It just means that you need to be alert and take the time to ensure that what you’re reading uses facts, statistics, logical arguments and reasoning to justify its stance.
3. If it’s too outlandish, reconsider
For this one, I’m just going to give you an example. Around 2016, a theory known as pizza gate went viral. It alleged that Hillary Clinton was abusing children in Satanic rituals in the basement of a Washington DC pizza restaurant. The pizza restaurant went by the name Comet Ping Pong. I want you to absorb that. Take it all in. It probably sounds ludicrous and unbelievable because it is. The Pizza Gate conspiracy theory has been widely discredited. My point here is if you come across something that sounds very outlandish and bizarre, reread it. Chances are, it’s not true.
4. Look closely at the headline and by-line
Alright, the last one, I promise. I want you to look at the news organisation, the headline, the by-line, everything. Done? Alright, alright, I’ll give you a minute more. What say, is this real or fake? It’s real! Didn’t think that Jordan Peterson would have gripes with a pumpkin.
I’m kidding; I was just trying to throw you off. This particular piece of news isn’t real, but it isn’t fake, either. It’s satire! If you’re unaware, the Onion is a news organisation known for its satirical pieces and humorous articles. If you hadn’t closely examined the page, you might have thought this was real. It’s important to check whether the organisation that publishes the news is reputable and known for factual articles. Take that extra minute to read the page in its entirety, and pay close attention to the details.
Okay, before you go, I have a few quick tips that might interest you:
1. Check whether the news organisation is biased. For instance, Fox News generally has conservative views and is right-leaning. The YouTube Channel Jubilee, on the other hand, is slightly left-leaning. When you consume news from these sources, just be cognizant that the news might be biased.
2. Trust your instincts. If your spidey senses are tingling, pay extra attention. Sometimes, you might just feel that something about the article is off, and that’s okay. Go with your gut.
Aaaaand that’s a wrap, folks. I’m going to post a couple of resources here that might be even better ( I sincerely hope not, I put a lot of effort into this ) than the tips I had for you. That’s all for today, ciao!
References:
https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-to-combat-fake-news-and-disinformation/
https://faculty.lsu.edu/fakenews/protect_yourself/fight-fake-news.php
https://libguides.gustavus.edu/FakeNews