Fake news is all over social media platforms, as much as the companies can do to stop it they can only do so much, fake news will always find its way through if not only by sheer volume of made up drivel some people choose to publish. Sometimes it is political, sometimes it is for personal gain and sometimes it is just to cause trouble. Social media is open to everyone, good, bad and indifferent.
There are plenty of good people producing accurate and relevant information to help and inform other people in England. However, there are bad people who want to deliberately upset because they can. Or want you to persuade you to click a link to their website which may or may not be genuine, always be very careful before clicking links from unfamiliar sources.
If you do follow a link and they are asking for personal details or financial details make sure you check their credentials first. https:// not http:// for example needs to be in their website address https:// the ‘s’ stands for secure and any website without it is best avoided. Checking their details at companies house to see if they are registered is a good idea. Check their reviews in their particular field, maybe check forums or social media links. Due diligence is the key to ensuring your personal information or bank account details aren’t exposed to cyber criminal scumbags. If in doubt close the link and move on.
Also see: Phishing With AI Is A Serious Problem
The other thing is fake news can be very convincing with use of AI making ‘people’ look real. Politicians, actors and big company bosses faces can often be faked, along with moving lips and realistic voices. Again there are various reasons for this nonsense, it could be political, it could be to ruin someone’s character or harm a companies reputation. Sometimes for their own personal gain, but often it is done by small minded sad people who just want to cause trouble.
How to spot fake news?
First and foremost use common sense, if for example a politician is supposedly saying something outrageous or nonsensical (well they talk utter nonsense most of the time) but I’m sure you know what I mean, it is likely to be fake. If a famous actor/actress is announcing something ridiculous or very sexually explicit it will almost certainly be fake. I’ve seen plenty of fake Elon Musk videos online that look very convincing but the script and general meanings make no sense and are so unlikely for him to say in the real world.
Advertisement
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Personal, private, powerful. Write, express yourself and get things done effortlessly.
- A18 CHIP. FAST INTO THE FUTURE — A18 chip powers Apple Intelligence, gaming, and regular iOS updates to keep your iPhone…
- SUPERSIZED BATTERY LIFE — Text, browse, and binge movies and shows with up to 26 hours of video playback — the best batt…
Genuine news stories come from genuine news sources, such as Sky News or GB News and if there is some dodgy looking link offering you a see more… option, avoid. If the language and grammar is poor, avoid. There are plenty of ways to see the real news from the main news outlets and if the headline of a video interests you do a search in a browser and see if the story is real or fake, rather than clicking a link.
Also see: Will AI Influencers Replace The Real Thing?
Another very common type of fake news are provocative fake pictures of famous people in various poses often sexual, luring you to go to their website for more pictures and latest news. Mostly these are harmless and riddle with ads just trying to get you to buy, but they are not harmless to the people who they are using to endorse their products.
The press often exaggerate say the personality or actions of a famous person to sound more sensational or controversial, but you can normally make your own mind up to the real truth and ignore the fakes. That is one thing, but compromising photographs of famous people in ridiculous circumstances or sex videos open to the public online, utter nonsense! In the unlikely event this was to happen it would be global news, not some dodgy looking video on social media for example.
Advice
The best way to avoid dodgy content, scams and just general idiots is to use common sense. If it sounds too good to be true it almost certainly is. Don’t get me wrong some real stories are sensational, but they are few and far between. If you have any doubts about the content or sources of news, check on the main English news platforms before proceeding. Don’t just click aimlessly because you never know where you’ll end up, think first and avoid the fakes.
