We have all heard the famous story of the boy who cried wolf and how it ended. It was a cautionary tale from our parents and elders to warn us against the dangers of falsehood. However, this also happened during the world wars of which most are unaware. During the first world war, British news agencies spread disinformation about British Naval blockades which caused a fat shortage in Germany and eventually led the Germans to use the body of their own soldiers to extract fat, bone meal, and pig food. The story was spread to demonize Germans and win the war. However, like all fake stories, later it was revealed that the information was spread by the British which then had implications during World War II – people began to doubt the accuracy of reports of atrocities performed by Nazis when they first appeared.  

One of the major factors in human evolution is our love for gossip and spreading any interesting news we hear which then helped with the growth of communities. Our love for sensational news and spreading it wide is part of our nature and at times, we don’t even consider whom it is going to hurt, and we proceed in sharing the enticing news. Who hasn’t run to tell their friend that another friend is breaking up with their significant other or that a colleague is going to get fired?  

When my mother got her first smartphone, she would excitedly tell me about all the outrageous things that are supposedly happening around the world. Then I simply told her, “Mom, 99.9% of information that you get from social media is false, don’t believe them”; it might have been an exaggeration on my part, but it is not far from the truth. We all have the primal urge to spread information which has given fake media outlets, government agencies, and conspiracy theorists the perfect opportunity to spread their narratives which can be beneficial for them for many reasons including but not limited to the following:

1. Propaganda

Propaganda is one of the important weapons used against an enemy, whether it is war or a small domestic issue, spreading false news about your opponent is the oldest trick to win against them. With the influence of social media, spreading rumors and propaganda have never been easier. 

2. Cognitive Biases

Human beings are social animals, and we tend to trust those closest to us for accurate information. We all have an existing set of beliefs, ethics, and morals and we easily believe anything that rectifies our code of ethics and beliefs.

3. Monetary Benefits 

The trend of sharing sensational news has become common in all conventional and non-conventional media. Trends show that there is a higher chance of viewers and readers clicking on more negative news than positive ones which has resulted in news articles focusing more on making news intriguing than striving to make it accurate. At the same time, social media content creators tend to spread sensational and false news to monetize their accounts.

How to fact-check and spot misinformation? 

Identifying fake news from accurate ones is becoming increasingly challenging with the advancement of technology and social media. As Christina Nicholson, former tv anchor and reporter, mentioned in her Ted talk “we are all media”, anyone can say anything anytime they want, the trick is to know when someone is telling the truth or just spreading fake news.  

Using one or all of the following tricks can be helpful to spot fake news.

Check the credibility of the author/source  

To check the authenticity of the news, the first approach should be to check the writer’s credibility and scrutinize the sources they are citing. If it is posted on a website, check the about section and look for information. A quick google search can tell you about the writer and the website and how credible it is. Information that you find on social media can be hard to verify but a simple trick is to check if any credible news websites are also reporting the same information. It is more likely fake news if you don’t find related news or information.

Be aware of the biases 

We are eager to have our beliefs affirmed and when we find a piece of news that confirms what we have been suspecting all along, we jump on that without first checking the credibility of the source. At such times, it is necessary to stop and consider the information you have received and what sources are being cited. It is also vital to check the biases of the writer and from what perspective he/she is writing.

Check the URL 

It is also helpful to pay attention to the URL address of the website on which you find the information. Web addresses ending in edu or gov are more credible as they represent educational institutions and governments respectively. Websites ending in com or org would need more scrutinizing as they are public domains and can be purchased by anyone. Another caution to look sharply for is the spelling, as it is common to mimic credible sites by slightly changing spelling or using “edu” or “gov” followed by a .com to trick users into thinking it is an educational or governmental website.  

Always be suspicious and on guard 

To save yourself from becoming a victim of fake news whenever you come across any news, especially on social media, your first instinct should be “false until proven otherwise”. Most information available on social media are either from unreliable sources or the personal opinion of the person posting it. Another rule to be aware of is that if it is a sensational headline that urges you to click on the link, it is highly probable to be fake news, and they are hoping to earn money from each click. Don’t fall for clickbait. 

Implications and effects of misinformation  

Spreading fake news has far-reaching implications and can affect many people’s lives. Therefore, practicing caution when sharing any news is of utmost importance to avoid being an accomplice in spreading misinformation. Given below are some of the recent examples and effects of misinformation.  

The spread of misinformation during the pandemic 

An easy example of the effects of misinformation and fake news would be the 2020 pandemic. The entire world tumbled into utter chaos and confusion when on March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic. The preventive measures that were imposed around the world hadn’t been witnessed for decades and many refused to follow the governmental guidelines. This caused one of the biggest spreads of misinformation we have witnessed in recent times. Even to this day, there are still those who insist that COVID-19 was a hoax and that lockdowns were against their democratic rights.  

Misinformation about climate change 

Similar to COVID-19, many believe that climate change is a hoax and push their agenda on social media against the glaring evidence that proves the contrary. The multi-billion fossil fuel companies are also responsible for spreading disinformation on social media and making gullible people believe that climate change is not real as they do not want to lose their business even when there is actual scientific data available that shows that if we keep on going on this track, we will leave a scorched planet for our children.  

Misinformation about remote work 

The pandemic resulted in the rise of remote work but even amidst the dangers of the pandemic, many companies were reluctant to let their employees work remotely due to the misinformation and misconception that remote employees are less productive than onsite workers. There have been research and surveys that prove otherwise, but even today many refuse to facilitate remote work options which is a major setback for those who can’t be in a physical office like stay-at-home moms and people with disabilities. We recently witnessed the effect of this misconception when Twitter CEO, Elon Musk, ended the remote work option and asked his employees to report back to the offices.  

In the ever-changing world, being aware of misinformation and how we are affected by influencers, who are being paid by big companies to sway our opinion in their favor, is essential. Take remote work, for instance, the misinformation around it comes from the fear of companies losing control of their employees and monitoring their every move. In contrast, successful remote work models from companies like Genashtim Pte Ltd have shown that having a 100% remote work model is not only possible but has proven to be more fruitful and productive in facilitating healthier management-employee relationships.  

To further its cause of promoting remote work to include PWDs and other disadvantaged communities, Genashtim took the initiative of launching a remote job portal named JEDI Jobs where global employers can meet a pool of qualified and skilled candidates to fill up their remote vacancies.  

To register as an employee or employer, visit https://www.jedi-jobs.com/ now to find out more.