Sunday, 11 May 2025

Fake News: Spot It Before Sharing (2)




Welcome back!  Wondering how to spot fake news?  These 10 simple signs will help.  Don’t let misinformation go viral because of you!

Poor Language:  “New taxplayer rules. Follow or face actions!”  Sloppy grammar, spelling or phrasing screams 'fake'.  Trusted news is polished.

Too Good to Be True:  “Tomatoes cure diabetes!”  COVID sparked “miracle cures” like cow urine, often harmful.  Real solutions aren’t simple.

Unseen Sources:  “Govt waives farmer loans!” A 2023 viral claim had no official source.  No proof?  Trust your doubts.

Unverified Claims:  “Experts say 5G spreads COVID.”  Which experts?  No data?  Demand proof.

Emotional Triggers:  “Child traffickers in your city!”  Fake forwards sparked lynchings in 2017.  Real news informs, not incites.

Recycled Stories:  “Lion mauls tourist in Gir Forest!”  A 2023 post reused a 2015 Thailand image.  Check dates.

Morphed Images:  “Free rice scheme” poster in 2023.  Google Lens revealed a fake, altered image.  Verify visuals.

Clickbait Urgency:  “Onion prices hit ₹200/kg!”  A 2022 post urged instant sharing.  Later debunked as outdated.  Urgency means fake.

Common Sense Test:  “Chips in Rs 2000 notes track you!”  Does it sound practical?  Don't be gullible! 

Partisan Bias:  "Detergent in milk. Boycott now."   Before you believe, search ‘FSSAI + [brand name]’.  Seek facts, not rants.

Final Tip:  Read between the lines.  Spot agendas.  Use Alt News, Boom, or Snopes to fact-check.  Don’t get fooled!  

Want to read this content in another language?  Use the "Translate/Select Language" tool in the sidebar. ↗️

๐ŸŽงListen to podcast versions:
๐Ÿ”— English      ๐Ÿ”— Malayalam

News is sacred. Views are venomous.

Click here to read about Work-Life Balance
Click here to read about Cognitive Skills       
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Links