When attempting to decide whether or not a story would be considered “fake news,” there are a few factors that you can look for.

1) Does the article make an outrageous claim that seems false? Often fake news articles come from bloggers attempting to amass followers through a confirmation bias, and will often post titles akin to “clickbait” or exaggerated claims in order to garner attention and views.

 

2) Does the article provide any actual evidence, or just show speculation and a few loosely drawn conclusions based on that? Fake news articles and videos will sometimes show actual events, but then draw baseless conclusions.

 

3) If you go to a website like factcheck.org, does the claim come up as valid? There are many sites that are free and accessible that make it their job to fact-check claims and stories. See if you can find an article debunking any suspicious videos.

 

4) Was the story/article/video reported on by multiple/trusted sources? Fake news is usually made on the fly and will not be reported by multiple media news outlets or trusted news outlets. However, even big media is not immune to fake news. Make sure to cross-reference your sources and know any biases that your news sources may have.

 

5) Is the author someone who can be trusted about the subject matter? Do some research on the author and see if they have written any other articles that look like fake news, and if possible, check their credentials.

 

If the news story you are reading displays some of these qualities, it can most likely be considered “fake news” and not a trustworthy source.