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Fake News: Concepts and Terminology

Fake News vs. Satire

fake news iconFake news sites intentionally present misinformed news to drive web traffic or promote propaganda and conspiracy theories. Here are some resources that list fake news sites:

satire iconSatirical news sources present parodies of news stories. These sites are created to entertain and will often state that they are not credible news sources. Here are a few examples:

Icons: Flaticon

Fake News Terms & Concepts
"Something (such as a headline) designed to make readers want to click on a hyperlink especially when the link leads to content of dubious value or interest." (Merriam Webster). Some sample phrases/headlines which typically indicate clickbait are: "you won't believe what happens next", "the secret they don't want you to know", "this will shock you!".
"The tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories." (Lexico)
"A video of a person in which their face or body has been digitally altered so that they appear to be someone else, typically used maliciously or to spread false information." (Lexico)
"An environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, so that their existing views are reinforced and alternative ideas are not considered." (Lexico)
"A situation in which an internet user encounters only information and opinions that conform to and reinforce their own beliefs, caused by algorithms that personalize an individual’s online experience." (Lexico)
"A humorous or malicious deception." (Lexico)
"False or inaccurate information, especially that which is deliberately intended to deceive." (Lexico)
"Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief." (Lexico)
"The use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues." (Lexico)

Check out Information Disorder: The Essential Glossary for more definitions