INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES: "F" is for...

CATEGORY 1: Fake, false, or regularly misleading websites that are shared on Facebook and social media. Some of these websites may rely on outrage by using distorted headlines and decontextualized or dubious information in order to generate likes, shares, and profits.

CATEGORY 2: Websites that may circulate misleading and/or potentially unreliable information.

CATEGORY 3: Websites that sometimes use clickbait-y headlines and social media descriptions.

CATEGORY 4: Satire/comedy sites, which can offer important critical commentary on politics and society, but have the potential to be shared as actual/literal news.

• When you open up a news article in your browser, open a second, empty tab. Use that second window to look up claims, author credentials and organizations that you come across in the article.


• Fake news spans across all kinds of media - printed and online articles, podcasts, YouTube videos, radio shows, even still images. Be prepared to double-check everything.


• Beware of confirmation bias. Just because you might agree with what an article is saying doesn't mean it's true.


• Constant Vigilance! Always be ready to fact check.


• Even the best researchers will be fooled once in a while. If you find yourself fooled by a fake news story, use your experience as a learning tool.