Answer:
Lots of things you read online especially in your social media feeds may appear to be true, often is not. Fake news is news, stories or hoaxes created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers. Usually, these stories are created to either influence people’s views, push a political agenda or cause confusion and can often be a profitable business for online publishers. Fake news can deceive people by looking like trusted websites or using similar names and web addresses to reputable news organisations.
Explanation:
"Fake news" refers to news articles or other items that are deliberately false and intended to manipulate the viewer. While the concept of fake news stretches back to antiquity, it has become a large problem in recent years due to the ease with which it can be spread on social media and other online platforms, as people are often less likely to critically evaluate news shared by their friends or that confirms their existing beliefs. Fake news is alleged to have contributed to important political and economic outcomes in recent years.
Fighting fake news is not only about fact checking the stories you hear, it is also about holding the information you consume and the people or places you hear it from accountable. Acting as a critical consumer of information is the first defense against problematic news sources and misleading content.
Social media has had a dramatic impact on the ways we interact with one another. Social media platforms have connected us to one another in new and impactful ways. Stories and opinions can gain exposure with unprecedented speed, giving individuals around the globe continuous access to a near-real-time conversation about both important and trivial matters.
With the increasing popularity of a wide variety of internet-enabled devices and advanced mobile internet speeds, more and more people are getting involved with social media. Indeed, two-thirds of all U.S. adults use it, and many of us get our news through posts made on social media networks.
Unfortunately, there is a dark side to social media: fake news. Misinformation can influence users, manipulating them for political or economic reasons.
