Complex web of fake news

Some fake news are not harmful, some are very incendiary.

For representational purposes. (File Photo)

WHAT IS FAKE NEWS?

• False or misleading information appears as real news
• Tends to mislead people
• Fake news can appear authentic at first and attempt to attract attention, shock, or shape opinion
• Fake news can be created by individuals or groups acting individually or on serving interests of third parties
• Fake news motivated by personal, political, or economic agendas
• It is also the propaganda dressed up as believable information
• Can spread very fast through social media and impact judgments of people
• Difficult to detect early

Fake headlines: Most common. Headlines draw attention to fictitious facts. They are called clickbait headlines phrases designed to attract users’ attention and lure them to a web page they are not interested in or is fake

Targeted misinformation: Fictitious info shared for self-serving interest or directed at groups susceptible to such type of information. The content could be polarising if shared unthinkingly

Viral posts: Bombarding social media sites with a large number of fake articles, not giving enough time for users to check their veracity. Such news when shared or liked, creates its own momentum

Satire: Method used to promote fake or absurd events

Disinformation with ulterior motive or malicious intent

India on top: India has been on top among nations facing spread of fake news

FAKE NEWS: DECEPTION LADDER

Some fake news are not harmful, some are very incendiary.

• Satire can be used to mislead, but causes no harm though has potential to fool user
• Misleading content can be used to frame an individual or issue
• Imposter content can be generated to impersonate somebody or something
• Fabricated content is completely false content intended to deceive and harm users
• False connections are made where text, visuals and headlines have no connection with one another and yet deceive user
• False context is used to misinterpret genuine news or information; ultimately the entire information becomes false and dangerous if relied upon
• Manipulated content can be extremely provocative and polarise people and views by twisting genuine information