By now we all know, today it is more important than ever to be able to distinguish real news from fake news. With the huge spread of fake AI news on Internet and all social media, it is crucial to develop the skills to identify and verify credible information. With this article we will try to provide the tools to detect AI fake news and be able to inform ourselves more critically.
The various types of AI Fake News
Fake news can take many forms, but without starting from prehistory, let’s focus on the three most common types today:
- Political Fake News: This is the misleading or completely false information related to politics, elections or international dynamics. Lately there has been a heated controversy regarding Trump’s election.
- Health Related Fake News: Inaccurate or unverified health advice, miracle cures or inaccurate claims about medical advances and medicine in general. And even here, we’ve heard all kinds over the past 3 years.
- Social Media Hoaxes: False rumors, chain posts or fabricated stories that spread very quickly thanks to Platforms like Facebook & company.
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Why they exist and where they originate
Fake news can be created by organizations or individuals with the goal of influencing public opinion, destabilizing or to create and spread negative sentiments. They often create and accentuate conflicting ideas and disorientation, or foster hostile attitudes.
Any kind of information can influence our actions, prompting people to think and do things they would not have done before. The world of fake news is very multifaceted and is not always run by real organizations. It is impossible to find a single culprit, and there are probably many factions with a hand in it.
Misinformation in general is dangerous, especially for children and young people who can be easily persuaded to take distorted views of the world. This, together with the constantly declining cultural level, causes them quite a lot of damage in the real world and in their future. To detect AI fake news, and to be able to recognize fake news, a cultural back ground is necessary. In the absence of this, let’s see how one can defend oneself anyway.
Tips to Detect AI Fake News
- Check the Credibility of the Source: Examine the website or news organization that is disseminating the news. On the Internet it is possible to find information regarding the registration of a domain; the phone number of the owner is not always available, but you can see how long a particular domain has been active (Search any “whois domain” on Google).
- Verify with Reliable Sources: Compare information with other credible sources to confirm its accuracy. Independent fact-checking organizations can also help verify claims. We will discuss later the digital means available for checking the veracity of websites. And in any case, printed books have always been a reliable reference since it is very difficult to fill entire libraries with false information.
- Note Sensationalistic or Emotional Language: Fake news often uses exaggerated language or appeals to emotions to manipulate readers. Be skeptical of headlines or articles that try to evoke strong emotions without providing substantial evidence. Manipulation, even in the real world, mostly appeals to the interlocutor’s feelings of sorrow and pity.
- Check the Article Date: Fake news can resurface or be shared years after it was first published. Always check the date of publication to make sure the information is relevant and up-to-date.
- Consider the Plausibility of the Story: Use your critical thinking skills to assess the likelihood that information is true. Fake news often contains outlandish claims or improbable stories. Some general education would be necessary here, but even simple research on reliable historical sources or a visit to a library can help.
- Use AI Content Detectors: Take advantage of ai tools that can help detect and identify fabricated or misleading content. A good AI detector analyzes text for patterns and provide insights into its credibility.
- Also use Google Lens: You can check whether photos are already on the Internet, whether they have been copied or repurposed for the occasion. This Google feature is already quite effective in figuring out if a photo has already been used years earlier.
You need a Good AI Detector
NewsGuard Introduction
NewsGuard is a browser extension designed by NewsGuard Technologies Inc. that provides credibility ratings of news websites. This tool uses a combination of algorithms and reviews by experienced journalists to assess the veracity and reliability of online sources. Using NewsGuard can certainly help you distinguish true from fake news. Will also help navigate the sea of digital information with more confidence.
The NewsGuard team uses nine journalistic criteria to assign a score from 0 to 100 to each site. A higher score means that the site is more trustworthy. If you click on the score, you can see a detailed tab explaining why it is rated that way.
Stay curious, critical, and be a lover of truth and transparency! It is our responsibility to check and verify the authenticity of news and articles before sharing them with others. By doing so, we can contribute to a more informed and educated society.
Below, the video “Coronavirus and the fake news pandemic“