Fake or Facts?

By: Sophia Johnette

Let’s be honest, it’s hard to tell what news sources are being honest and which ones have an agenda to push. Here’s a short guide on how to decipher which sources are biased or not.

Watch the Language

The power of every journalist rests in their words. They have the power to shape our minds, and the potential to sway our opinions one way or the other. This potentiality has become more common over the years, especially with the rise of social media. One easy way to figure out if a source is biased is through the words they use. If they use heavy, charged words against a person or group, they probably have an agenda.

If you’re reading something and you feel overly swayed to one side, chances are that you’re reading a persuasive news article, not a real, unbiased one.

A good rule of thumb is to question everything.

Tip: Most unbiased journalists stay respectful during their news coverage, no matter what their personal feelings are. A good way to be mindful about language in your sources is to be mindful of your own language, especially in terms of politics. Check out this article on staying respectful during political discussions. If you stay respectful to other opinions yourself, you’ll find yourself being able to detect disrespect from different news outlets.

Clickbait?

If an article has a clickbait sounding title, chances are that it’s biased. If you’re curious about what one of these titles would sound like, Buzzfeed has some good examples (no shade to Buzzfeed, just stating the facts).

Clickbait works to get attention and views, but you should always approach these articles with caution. In all honesty, you should approach everything you read with caution. Clickbait or not, there could be misleading bait in any article you read.

Verify Everything

It’s not a good idea to read one article and think you have the full picture of what’s going on. You should read multiple articles from varying sources. If you read a CNN article, read a FOX one afterwards. You should engage with conflicting sources—this is how you will find the truth.

Social Media?

Social media is wonderful in so many ways, but we should be cautious of it. Your only news source should not be social media. Social media is a huge platform to spread misinformation to as many people as possible, so you need to be mindful of what you’re engaging with on there.

It’s totally fine to let social media news spark curiosity—that’s what it’s supposed to do. Let social media give you questions, and then go find those answers on reputable sources.

Know Your Sources

Not every article you read from one news outlet is going to be completely biased or unbiased. For instance, some BBC articles are biased, and then some are unbiased. It’s great to have some go-to sources, but also keep in mind that there are different writers working for the same company, and not every writer writes without an agenda. Be curious and ask questions. Read multiple sources.

It’s also a good idea to be aware of what sources tend to lean towards certain ideologies or political perspectives. Check out this media bias chart from the Harvard Library! This is a great tool to utilize and to be conscious of. It will tell you what sources are reliable, and which ones have heavy leanings towards one bias or another.

Popular = Truth?

If you take anything away from this article, let it be this: just because something is popular, doesn’t mean it’s true. It’s so easy to fall into traps of mainstream beliefs because of the societal pressure to conform. Check in with yourself. Ask yourself: is this something I truly believe in, or is this something I believe in because of others? There’s a great article that discusses the power of being ourselves, working to align with our own values and beliefs. Having a good sense of self will help you to ignore outside pressures.

Most Importantly

One of my greatest tips is to take a class in journalism. You’ll learn the questions journalists should be asking, and you’ll start to create those questions when you’re reading news articles.

Of course, not everyone has these courses readily available to them. You can read books about journalism. Additionally, you can look into resources (with caution, as always) that discuss how to not fall victim to fake news, such as “True or False: A CIA Analyst’s Guide to Spotting Fake News” by Cindy L. Otis.

Read carefully, question everything, and stay curious!