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Fake Online Information v. Real Online Information

When we search for information using a search engine, sometimes our results consist of a lot of junk! This guide is to assist you with using the CRAAP test to identify what is junk/fake information and what is real.

Spot Fake News

Image from : https://blogs.ifla.org/lpa/files/2017/01/How-to-Spot-Fake-News.pdf

Define Fake News

…“fake news” to be fabricated information that mimics news media content in form but not in organizational process or intent. Fake-news outlets, in turn, lack the news media's editorial norms and processes for ensuring the accuracy and credibility of information. Fake news overlaps with other information disorders, such as misinformation (false or misleading information) and disinformation (false information that is purposely spread to deceive people). (Lazer et al.,2008, p.1094)

 

From: Lazer, D., Baum, M., Benkler, Y., Berinsky, A., Greenhill, K., Menczer, F., Metzger, M., Nyhan, B., Pennycook, G., Rothschild, D., Schudson, M., Sloman, S., Sunstein, C., Thorson, E., Watts, D., & Zittrain, J. (2018). The science of fake news. Science, 359(6380), 1094–1096. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2998