Tips for Identifying Fake News on Social Media

Fake news has become an alarming phenomenon throughout the world. Moreover, ahead of the general elections in Indonesia, the spread of false news began to flourish on social media.

Facebook, as one of the most social networks with users in Indonesia, is committed to participating in combating the spread of false news. "We want to ensure that people have access to reliable and accurate information on Facebook," Facebook Indonesia said in a written statement received in Jakarta on Monday (8/10).

"Therefore, we are very serious in handling the spread of false news and have put in place efforts to fight misinformation as one of our top priorities," continued Facebook. In an effort to reduce the spread of false news, Facebook uses technology and content review teams, and conducts various educational programs around news literacy.

Here are some tips from Facebook that can be practiced to identify fake news circulating on social media.

Be skeptical of the title

Fake news stories often have bombastic titles with capital letters with exclamation points. If the title seems shocking and untrustworthy, then it's likely that it is.

Look carefully at the URL

False URLs or those made similar to the original can be a warning sign of false news. Many fake news sites pretend to be authentic news sources by slightly changing the URL address. You can open the site and compare the URL address with a trusted source.

Investigate the source

Make sure the news is written by a source that you believe has a good reputation for accuracy. If the news comes from an unknown organization, read the "About" section on their site to learn more.

Pay attention to unusual formats

Many fake news sites are misspelled or have an awkward layout. Read carefully to see these signs.

Check the photo

Fake news stories often contain manipulated images or videos. Sometimes the photo is genuine, but the context is different. You can browse the photo or image to find out where it came from.

Check the date

Fake news stories may contain an unreasonable timeline, or the date of the event that has been changed.

Check the proof

Check the author's information source to inform its accuracy. Lack of evidence or dependence on unnamed experts can indicate false news.

See other reports

If no other news source reports the same news, it can indicate that the news is false. If the news is reported by several sources that you trust, then it's likely that the news is correct.

Is the news just a joke?

Sometimes fake news is difficult to distinguish from humor or satire. Check whether the source is usually showing parody, and whether the details of the story and the tone indicate that the news is just a joke.

Some news is deliberately falsified

Think critically about the news you read, and only share the news that you know can be trusted.