No, she won’t, but now that I have your attention we can talk about click bait and fake news. This is the online phenomenon where catchy titles are added to factually incorrect stories. This is meant to lead a large number of people to click on the link, read through the story, and generate ad revenue for the publisher.
This is having real-life consequences when it comes to real news, as Facebook and other social media platforms are now curbing the ability of news pages to reach their audience in significant ways. In fact, Facebook’s efforts to crack down on fake news resulted in a 50% reduction in all non-personal Facebook pages.
One thing we can do to avoid further crackdowns is to stop reading these misleading stories. Here are a few tips on how to do this:
-If a news title features ALL CAPS or leading words such as “destroyed” or “humiliated”, then it’s a safe bet that they are not a reputable news source.
-If a news story features a very unflattering image of a public figure or politician, you can assume they’re trying to tug at the heartstrings of those who oppose them.
-Any titles that feature leading speech such as “you won’t believe…” is created to make you click. Don’t take the bait, it’s most likely fake news.
Anything that sounds too good to be true is probably fake. If a story pops up from a news source you don’t know, Google the subject instead. If the news is true you’ll find it there.
We’re all in this together. Alternative media and real news is the first line of defence against biased reporting and misleading news. Fake news outlets pose an existential threat to upright alternative media, and we must make sure we don’t contribute to their rise.
Emilio Garcia
Deputy Editor, The Unshackled
Host of the Front and Center Podcast