Fake news
What is fake news?
Fake news is generally defined to be information presented as authentic but is entirely false, partially true, or overexaggerated.
The term “fake news” is not quite properly characterized in academia, as it borders on related concepts such as news satire, yellow journalism, junk news, pseudo-news, hoax news, propaganda news, advertorial, false information, fake information, misinformation, disinformation, mal-information and alternative fact.
Why write and publish fake news?
There are many different intentions of writing and publishing fake news, but generally it is of three flavors:
1. Tarnishing the reputation of individuals or institutions
2. Draw attention away from another event
3. Making money through advertising by having sensationalized headlines
What are the different types of fake news?
There are many types of “fake news." A few general identifying concepts are:
1. Propaganda
2. News Satire
3. False Advertisement
4. Unrelated photo or altered photos
5. Straight-up Lies
Why should I care?
Disinformation can affect your daily lives through so many different ways. Regular consumption of disinformation can lead to political inefficacy, cynicism towards political candidates, diminished critical thinking skills — as well a far-reaching, long-term political effects of a misinformed vote.