True or false: How to spot fake news
No matter which way you choose to consume news, it seems harder and harder to know what is true and what is false.
Earlier this week, South Africans were left furious when they were told that the alcohol ban would be reinstated.
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Social media exploded and WhatsApps went flying.
The only issue is that this chaos and confusion was caused by a rumour: that a rise in trauma cases has forced President Cyril Ramaphosa to reinstate the ban.
After rushing to liquor stores once again, South Africans settled down and realised that they were once again falling for a fake news story.
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It should be noted that the Disaster Management Act criminalises the distribution and creation of fake news surrounding the COVID-19 lockdown.
That's great, but how do you know when something truly is fake news?
Here are a few ways to help you sniff out a fake story:
- Is there a name on the news/video?
- Is there a date?
- Are any sources properly cited
- Have you seen the same information in at least two different sources?
You can also use the following website to fact check any stories: Snopes
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Do not share the information, video, or picture if you answered 'no' to any of the above questions, you could also be charged for sharing someone else's fake news!
You can also report any fake news through the Real411 website (monitored by Media Monitoring Africa) or send a WhatsApp to 067 966 4015.
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We are still finding ourselves in a very confusing time, so let's not make it worse.
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Main image courtesy of Pexels