Combating Fake News Online

2020 ◽  
pp. 273-289
Author(s):  
Mehmet Fatih Çömlekçi
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Political Polarization ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Data Journalism ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
Methodological Approaches

In today's post-truth environment, besides the increase in political polarization, the rapid spread of fake news infringes on society. In the struggle with fake news, fact-checking services have begun to play an important role. The aim of this chapter is to highlight how fact-checking services work, what their strategies and limitations are, their interaction with users, and the digital tools they use in such interactions. Thus, the platforms Teyit.org (Confirmation) and Doğruluk Payı (Share of Truth) that operate in Turkey have been chosen as exemplary cases. In the study, the content analysis and the in-depth interview methodological approaches have been used together. As a conclusion, it has been revealed that these aforementioned fact-checking services increase their activities during election times, adopt the principles of political impartiality and economic transparency, use the practices of data journalism, interact with users, and try to create a digital literacy ecosystem as an ultimate goal.

Combating Fake News Online

2021 ◽  
pp. 466-482
Author(s):  
Mehmet Fatih Çömlekçi
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Political Polarization ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Data Journalism ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
Methodological Approaches

In today's post-truth environment, besides the increase in political polarization, the rapid spread of fake news infringes on society. In the struggle with fake news, fact-checking services have begun to play an important role. The aim of this chapter is to highlight how fact-checking services work, what their strategies and limitations are, their interaction with users, and the digital tools they use in such interactions. Thus, the platforms Teyit.org (Confirmation) and Doğruluk Payı (Share of Truth) that operate in Turkey have been chosen as exemplary cases. In the study, the content analysis and the in-depth interview methodological approaches have been used together. As a conclusion, it has been revealed that these aforementioned fact-checking services increase their activities during election times, adopt the principles of political impartiality and economic transparency, use the practices of data journalism, interact with users, and try to create a digital literacy ecosystem as an ultimate goal.

scholarly journals Hoax Digital Literacy on Instagram

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-186
Author(s):  
Dedeh Fardiah ◽  
Ferry Darmawan ◽  
Rini Rinawati
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
New Media ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
Literacy Education ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Media Messages

The development of communication technology brings forth new media with various multiplatforms. Information spreads instantaneously to all corners of the world through abundant media devices. In social media spaces, every individual can produce informational content and disseminate it, so it appears as a new phenomenon of citizen journalism. Individuals act as both producers and targets of social media content simultaneously. Ironically, due to freedom of expression on social media, various hoaxes appear intentionally or unintentionally and are widely distributed. This study aims to explore the official Instagram account that handles hoaxes in West Java Province and provide a digital literacy education in their post. This study uses the content analysis method, which efficiently investigates media content on both printed form and digital posts. In addition, it also uses descriptive content analysis to describe in detail a message or a specific content. The study object is Instagram @jabarsaberhoaks with an analysis unit of information items about hoaxes and various digital literacy on Instagram @jabarsaberhoaks in 2020.  In total, their number reaches 900 posts. The result of this study shows that the most common hoax is fake news, such as manipulated content, misleading content, fake news, and fabricated content with health, political, and economic themes. Explicitly or implicitly, digital literacy education about hoaxes can be obtained by accessing the information contained in Instagram accounts. The implication is that it is necessary to study the extent of this educational content responded by the public, so media messages can effectively and efficiently be in the form of educational media about interactive hoaxes.

scholarly journals The Function and Importance of Fact-Checking Organizations in the Era of Fake News

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 140-160
Author(s):  
Recep Ünal ◽  
Alp Şahin Çiçeklioğlu
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
New Media ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
Filter Bubbles ◽  
Depth Interviews

The recent increase in usage of concepts such as ‘fake news’ or ‘post-truth’ reveals the importance of digital literacy especially on social media. In the digital era, people’s views on different topics are attempted to be manipulated with disinformation and fake news. Fake content is rapidly replacing the reality among new media users. It is stated with concepts such as ‘filter bubbles’ and ‘echo chambers’ that there is a greater tendency for people to be fed with content that is ideologically appropriate to their own views and to believe in fake news in this content. This article analyzes the structure and functioning of fact-checking organizations in the context of preventing propagation of fake news and improving digital literacy. The research is based on content analysis of verification activities of the fact-checking organization Teyit.org, which is a member of International Fact-Checking Network in Turkey, between January 1 and June 31, 2018. By conducting in-depth interviews with the verification team, propagation of fake news on social networks, fact-checking processes and their methods of combating fake news are revealed. Our article found that fake content spreading specifically through the Internet predominantly consists of political issues.

scholarly journals Digital Literacy in the Post-Truth Era: Employing Fact-Checking Applications in Adult EFL Reading Classes

2021 ◽  
pp. 468-481
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ikhsan ◽  
Asrizal . ◽  
Rahmah Fithriani ◽  
Ali Habibi ◽  
M Ridwan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Technology Study ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Study Programme ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Fact Checking

The term ‘digital literacy’ encompasses many skills, which include the ability to evaluate information received through digital technologies, such as internet platforms, social media and mobile devices. Due to the fast spreading of hoax news through digital platforms in this post-truth era, it is urgently needed for this particular skill to be taught in educational settings, and English as a foreign language (EFL) classes are no exception. This study focused on exploring adult EFL students’ experiences in using two fact-checking applications (web-based apps) to help identify fake news in reading comprehension classes, and examining their efficacies from the students’ points of view. Employing a descriptive statistics approach, the researchers collected the data using an online survey administered to 130 students of a Science and Technology study programme at a university in Medan, Indonesia. The results indicated that in general students had positive attitudes toward the use of two fact-checking web-based apps. Specifically, they reported that the apps were very helpful in raising their awareness of digital literacy and fact-checking prior to reading and sharing digitally spread news. A closer look at the data reveals students’ preferences toward one of the two web-based apps. This study recommends the integration of anti-hoax education not only in EFL classes, but also in any other classes to prevent the threats of fake news, particularly to young generations. Keywords: Digital literacy, fact-checking apps, fake news, hoax, post-truth era

Kebijakan Pemerintah Menangkal Penyebaran Berita Palsu atau ‘Hoax’

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Kurniawan Hari Siswoko
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Description ◽  
Government Policies ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Manifest Content ◽  
The Press ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
The Government

The massive and rapid spreading of fake news through the internet and social media has prompted the government to take steps to contain the hoaxes. Initially, the government was confident that the spread of fake news could be countered by blocking a number of irresponsible newsite. This research argues that the blocking of the newsite will not be effective in countering fake news. Thus, the government would need additional measures to deal with the massive and rapid spread of fake news through the internet. This research is conducted through observation and content analysis of media reports about the government policies regarding the spread of fake news. According to Berelson (1952) content analysis is a research technique for the objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of communication. Holsti (1968) says that it is any technique for making inferences by systematically and objectively identifying specified characteristics of messages. This research found several other measures the government has taken that includes the establishment of a special agency to deal with the cyberspace and collaborations with the Press Council and Facebook to strengthen its efforts. Keywords:  fake news, government policies, national cyber agency, hoax

scholarly journals Journalistic Fact-Checking of Information in Pandemic: Stakeholders, Hoaxes, and Strategies to Fight Disinformation during the COVID-19 Crisis in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1227
Author(s):  
Xosé López-García ◽  
Carmen Costa-Sánchez ◽  
Ángel Vizoso
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
The Media ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
Qualitative Evolution

The public health crisis created by COVID-19 represents a challenge for journalists and the media. Specialised information in healthcare and science has turned into a need to deal with the current situation as well as the demand for information by society. In this context of increased uncertainty, the circulation of fake news on social networks and messaging applications has proliferated, producing what has been known as ‘infodemic’. This paper is focused on the fact-checking of journalistic content using a combined methodology: content analysis of information denied by the main Spanish fact-checking platforms (Maldita and Newtral) and an in-depth questionnaire to these stakeholders. The results confirm the quantitative and qualitative evolution of disinformation. Quantitatively, more fact-checking is performed during the state of alarm. Qualitatively, hoaxes increase in complexity as the pandemic evolves, in such a way that disinformation engineering takes place, and it is expected to continue until the development of a vaccine.

scholarly journals The Trump Effect: With No Peer Review, How Do We Know What to Really Believe on Social Media?

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (04) ◽  
pp. 270-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Brady ◽  
Molly Kelly ◽  
Sharon Stein
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
General Public ◽  
Fake News ◽  
False Information ◽  
Medical Field ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Poor Differentiation ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
Editorial Review ◽  
Political Election

AbstractSocial media is a source of news and information for an increasing portion of the general public and physicians. The recent political election was a vivid example of how social media can be used for the rapid spread of “fake news” and that posts on social media are not subject to fact-checking or editorial review. The medical field is susceptible to propagation of misinformation, with poor differentiation between authenticated and erroneous information. Due to the presence of social “bubbles,” surgeons may not be aware of the misinformation that patients are reading, and thus, it may be difficult to counteract the false information that is seen by the general public. Medical professionals may also be prone to unrecognized spread of misinformation and must be diligent to ensure the information they share is accurate.

Using NLP for Fact Checking: A Survey

Designs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Eric Lazarski ◽  
Mahmood Al-Khassaweneh ◽  
Cynthia Howard
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language Processing ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
The Many ◽  
Human Powered ◽  
The Web

In recent years, disinformation and “fake news” have been spreading throughout the internet at rates never seen before. This has created the need for fact-checking organizations, groups that seek out claims and comment on their veracity, to spawn worldwide to stem the tide of misinformation. However, even with the many human-powered fact-checking organizations that are currently in operation, disinformation continues to run rampant throughout the Web, and the existing organizations are unable to keep up. This paper discusses in detail recent advances in computer science to use natural language processing to automate fact checking. It follows the entire process of automated fact checking using natural language processing, from detecting claims to fact checking to outputting results. In summary, automated fact checking works well in some cases, though generalized fact checking still needs improvement prior to widespread use.

scholarly journals The Impact of “Manipulated News” on Student Attitudes and Perceptions and Their Participation in the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 205630512110197
Author(s):  
Chesca Ka Po Wong ◽  
Runping Zhu ◽  
Richard Krever ◽  
Alfred Siu Choi
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Survey Research ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Potential Use

While the impact of fake news on viewers, particularly marginalized media users, has been a cause of growing concern, there has been little attention paid to the phenomenon of deliberately “manipulated” news published on social media by mainstream news publishers. Using qualitative content analysis and quantitative survey research, this study showed that consciously biased animated news videos released in the midst of the Umbrella Movement protests in Hong Kong impacted on both the attitudes of students and their participation in the protests. The findings raise concerns over potential use of the format by media owners to promote their preferred ideologies.

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