How to avoid being the next victim of fake news?

By Sebastián Stranieri, CEO VU Security

The concept of disinformation is not new. The manipulation of news has been part of history almost at the same time of the existence of the media. However, with the advance of new technologies and the global reach of social networks, it has mutated into what is now known as 'fake news'.

In the times we live in, anyone with access to a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone can create, spread and viralize news from dubious and ill-intentioned sources.

The Internet has changed the rules of the game of communication and reliable information: the news, data, photos and links that are shared through social networks contribute to shaping the opinions of users. For some audiences, social networks are now the only source of information they consume, so they are influenced by them to a greater extent than by the news broadcast by the press.

Unlike traditional media, the new information channels do not require contrasting content. This means that the information is distributed and reaches thousands of people in record time, and it is not always truthful. In addition, these messages are usually shared among family, friends or acquaintances, so people tend to give them more credibility. The truth is that very few people investigate the origin of the information they receive or check sources before spreading them again.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) warned that, in general, people are not prepared and do not have the necessary tools and/or knowledge to deal with disinformation and 'fake news' campaigns. The international organization points to work in schools as a precautionary measure from an early age. The question is: how to prepare the different generations to develop a critical view in relation to the overinformation that circulates through the networks?

It is time to be alert to the 'fake news', common currency in all social networks and on all topics, as it is not exclusive to the political or media field.

Here, from VU, we offer some tips to avoid being the next victim:

1. Check sources. If you receive a news item or a screenshot where it's not clear who the author is, be suspicious. However, a source by itself is not a guarantee of anything. That's why it's important to check several official websites to corroborate the information. For example, if you receive a screenshot of a tweet, go to that person's official account to verify if it was indeed something they tweeted.
2. Verify that the URL is real. Many times the URL appears to be from a trustworthy website but it is not. Sometimes the fake URL contains one vowel too many or one consonant too few to confuse an inattentive user. That is why it is recommended to click on the article and check that it is indeed a real website.
3. Avoid just the headline of the information. Over-information is the order of the day and it is common to find sensationalist headlines designed to make an impact at first glance. It is important to make sure that the information in the article is consistent with the headline before sharing the news.
4. Identify spelling mistakes. Another test to know that we are in front of a real news is to pay attention to how it is written. If it is real information, it should not have spelling mistakes, grammar, inconsistencies or paragraphs in capital letters.
5. Be wary of profiles with pseudonyms. There are many fake profiles on social networks created to share and viralize false or distorted information. It is advisable to be wary of those profiles with pseudonyms, with few followers or that were recently created. If you find a fake profile, it is advisable to report it so that the same social network can investigate it and remove it, thus preventing other people from being deceived.
6. Review the images. Nowadays, any image can be manipulated by editing programs. You don't have to be an expert on the subject to modify and even compose a photo that conveys the message you want. It is necessary to take a few minutes to look for the origin of that photo, its source, if it was taken in another context or if it was already used at another time. To do this, you can do an 'image search' on Google, by clicking on the search engine's camera icon, for example. There you can add the URL of the image or upload the photo to discover its original source.
7. The date of publication is important. The context is very important to decide whether a news item is false or not, because what is published today as truth, in a few years could be disproved. If it was published a long time ago or if the date does not appear, it is suspicious.
8. Leave ideas and ideology aside. Just because a piece of news is in line with our ideas or ideology does not mean it is true. In the same way, if we read an article about something we don't agree with, it doesn't have to be false.
9. Validate the information, even if it comes from a friend or family member. Many times, we receive news through family, friends or acquaintances and we take it for granted that it is real. However, they may also have been victims of a disinformation campaign, so it is important to corroborate data before continuing its distribution.

To avoid falling into the clutches of'fake news', it is necessary to be critical and use common sense. Before sharing a news story, we recommend you to follow these guidelines and be part of those who defend the truth.

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