Fighting Fake News

Type “Is Earth . . .” into Google’s search bar, and here’s the first suggestion given by the website’s autocomplete function: “Is Earth . . . flat?” If that seems like a strange question, that’s because every middle and high school student has learned that Earth is, in fact, round. You don’t even need a textbook to figure it out—you can prove it for yourself (see Proof That Earth Is Round).

Recently, though, everyday Facebook users and celebrity basketball players have expressed skepticism about the shape of Earth. They claim to believe our planet is actually a flat disc and that the government is hiding this knowledge from the public. This bogus idea has spread like wildfire via social media and gained surprising popularity.

The “flat Earth movement” highlights the growing problem of people using the internet to peddle disinformation. It and other conspiracy theories, hoaxes, and fake news often spread online faster than they can be fact-checked. As a result, it’s becoming harder and harder for the public to distinguish fact from fiction.

Type “Is Earth” into Google’s search bar, and the website’s autocomplete feature will make suggestions. Here’s the first one: “Is Earth . . . flat?” That may seem like a strange question. Every middle and high school student has learned that Earth is round. You don’t even need a textbook to figure it out. You can prove it for yourself (see Proof That Earth Is Round).

But lately, some people have questioned Earth’s shape. Everyone from everyday Facebook users to famous basketball players have joined in. They say they believe our planet is really a flat disc, and the government is hiding this fact from people. This phony idea has spread over social media like wildfire and become quite popular.

The “flat Earth movement” points to a growing problem. People are using the internet to sell false stories. Other conspiracy theories, hoaxes, and fake news are also posted. They often spread online faster than they can be fact-checked. The result: It’s getting harder and harder for the public to tell fact from fiction.

Fake news might seem entertaining and harmless. But in reality, its spread can have real consequences. The controversy surrounding climate change is one example.

The vast majority of scientists believe that human activity is causing the global average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere to increase. But climate change skeptics often spread fake news that gets readers to question basic science. This makes it easier for many people, including some leading politicians, to refuse to acknowledge that climate change exists.

Take the headline “‘Nearly All’ Recent Global Warming Is Fabricated, Study Finds.” The article claims climate scientists manipulated data to make it seem like Earth is warming faster than it actually is. But the article’s “study” is a blog post. The so-called manipulation is actually a proven method to increase the data’s accuracy by adjusting for how the information is collected. Readers might not catch this deception, which can alter their beliefs and behaviors.

“Democracy depends on intelligent group decision making,” says Jevin West, a data scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, who teaches a class on fake news. “We can’t make good decisions if we can’t rely on collective information and facts to make those decisions,” he says.

Fake news might seem fun and harmless. But its spread can have real effects. The argument about climate change is one example.

Almost all scientists believe that human activity is behind climate change. It’s causing the global average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere to rise. But many people refuse to admit that climate change exists. Some of them are leading politicians. They can do this because climate change skeptics often spread fake news. These false stories get people to question good science.

Take the headline “‘Nearly All’ Recent Global Warming Is Fabricated, Study Finds.” The article claims climate scientists changed data to make it seem like Earth is warming faster. But the article’s “study” is just a blog post. The so-called changes are really a proven method to improve the data’s accuracy. It adjusts for how the information is collected. Readers of the misleading article might not catch those things. They might read it and believe it.

“Democracy depends on intelligent group decision making,” says Jevin West, a data scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. He teaches a class on fake news. “We can’t make good decisions if we can’t rely on collective information and facts to make those decisions,” he says.

Understanding why people fall for fake news can help you avoid becoming a victim yourself. Part of the problem is that fake news can be hard to identify. According to a recent study from Stanford University in California, more than 80 percent of middle school students couldn’t distinguish between legitimate news stories and ads disguised as news.

Another issue is what psychologists call confirmation bias—the idea that we’re less likely to question evidence supporting something we already think is true. If you believe climate change is a hoax, for example, you’re not likely to question a story claiming to debunk climate scientists’ research.

It doesn’t help that many people spend time online in what researchers call an echo chamber—an environment where everyone on the social media sites and webpages you visit bounces the same beliefs back and forth. That insulates you from hearing viewpoints that conflict with your own. It also makes it easier for fake news creators to target you and your friends.

Lastly, people fall for fake news because it’s often more interesting than reality is. It can be hard for the truth to stand out in a world of constantly updating social media feeds.

Knowing why people fall for fake news can help you avoid being fooled. Part of the problem is that fake news can be hard to spot. A recent study from Stanford University in California looked at middle school students. It found that 80 percent of them couldn’t tell the difference between real news stories and ads that looked like news.

Another problem: If we already believe something is true, we’re less likely to question evidence that supports it. Psychologists call this idea confirmation bias. For example, say someone believes climate change is a hoax. He probably won’t question a story claiming to disprove climate research.

Many people spend time in an online environment that doesn’t help. Researchers call it an echo chamber. That’s where everyone on the social media sites and webpages you visit bounces the same beliefs back and forth. It stops you from hearing different viewpoints. It also makes it easier for fake news creators to target you and your friends.

There’s another reason people fall for fake news. It’s often more interesting than the truth. Social media feeds are constantly updating. It can be hard for the truth to stand out.