In times of need and prosperity, news outlets report what is happening in the world. While they are supposed to give people the facts of events, news consumers often think they are receiving distorted information.
“Modern news sources have shifted from reporting hard, factual news to trying to see who can get their article online first,” Star Local Media reporter Jack Hintze said. “I don’t think any news station in the world wants to give out misinformation to readers or viewers, but narrow deadlines can influence people to favor speed over correctness.”
Misinformation on a news site
There are many reputable news sites, but that does not mean that they are always accurate.
One way of verifying the credibility of information is checking multiple sources for information.
“You can use a strategy called lateral reading, where you are given information but then you look at who else is providing that same information,” Coppell High School librarian Trisha Goins explained, “You go to multiple sources for information, and if it is correct information then all those sources are going to be saying the same thing.”
Scandals and controversial topics are prone to small inaccuracies as they are often sensitive topics, leading the way for opinions to form in the stories themselves. These articles often use shocking headlines to grab a reader’s attention at the expense of being truthful.
“Everybody markets their websites, reels and posts to attract more followers,” Goins said. “Do not just always read the headlines. You have to read more than the headline.”
Fact-checking websites can be used to verify the accuracy of an article. According to the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, many reputable fact-checking websites use journalists to verify information covered through other sources. They double-check many sources to verify common beliefs spread through the news and address many outlandish claims sometimes provided by false information.
According to The Washington Post, news sites can also be satirical, making it imperative to check previous posts and the author’s tone to see if they have a record of satire or evident sarcasm.
Misinformation on social media
Social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, are quick sources of news. Many students use social media to follow current events around the world.
However, social media news accounts are not always run by verified news sources, leading to mass misinformation. It is important to check the sources that they have used and confirm that the information that they have provided is credible.
“I use social media a lot and I use it for finding news as well to stay up to date,” sophomore Hrishikes Tandri said.
Social media can shorten the attention span of an individual due to the consumption of short-form media from platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
“This decline in attention span can lead individuals to believe what they see as long as it is said in a confident voice or written by a qualified individual,” Hintze said.
Many journalists work hard to maintain credibility in a space filled with misinformation.
“I have learned credibility is based on the trust you show readers as much as you can, which means reporting the good, the bad and the ugly,” Hintze said. “It is part of my duty to hold nothing back. It’s in the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics and is what every single news organization and journalist should adhere to.”
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