Real vs. Fake News
- Mikael Wagner
- Mar 29
- 5 min read
In today’s fast-paced digital world, information spreads faster than ever. But not all of it is true. The line between real news and fake news has become dangerously blurred, making it harder for people to separate fact from fiction. As social media, biased outlets, and misinformation campaigns flood our screens, many find themselves unknowingly consuming and sharing false information. So, how can you tell the difference? Why do so many people fall for lies disguised as news? In this post, we’ll break down the anatomy of fake news, explore why it works, and share tools to help you stay informed with facts, not fiction.
It's so easy to lose hope when you read news headlines and hear combative commentary 24 hours a day. It becomes difficult to know the difference between real and fake news. Real news is or should be fact-based reporting from credible media outlets with verifiable sources. Fake news is fabricated stories meant to mislead, manipulate, confuse, or push an agenda. Today, it's important that we can distinguish between the types of news we are being fed. I have always enjoyed knowing when someone is lying, especially when they are unable to stop. For example, every word that flows from the mouth of Donald Trump is and has always been a lie. In speeches, interviews, exchanges with reporters, and posts on social media, he fills his public statements not only with exaggerations but outright fabrications.
Misinformation spreads faster than the truth because it's designed to be sensational, emotional, and shareable. Emotional triggers such as fear, anger, and shock can make people hit "share" before thinking critically. Growing up, this type of thinking was taught in most schools, but not anymore. Critical thinking is the ability to analyse information objectively, identify biases, and form reasoned judgments, going beyond simply accepting information at face value. In other words, it's being able to actively engage with information, rather than passively absorbing it. Repetition breeds familiarity, making it feel true. The more we hear a lie we start to believe it. Viral headlines and clickbait are crafted to grab attention, often with half-truths or outright lies. Social media platforms organise content that keeps users engaged, even if it's false or harmful. Viral posts trigger the algorithm to push the content to more feeds to spread the lies. Most people interact with content that confirms their beliefs and boosts misinformation in closed circles.
Lies spread faster than the truth. If I decided to create a fake story and share it within my social media networks, it would spread very quickly. Often, by the time the story comes back to me, it's quite different. Why do we believe in fake news? Misinformation isn't just about gullibility; it's how our brains are wired. We naturally believe stories that align with our existing opinions or fears. The more often we hear something, the more familiar and truer it feels, even if it's false. If everyone is sharing a story, it feels trustworthy. The power of strong emotions can overpower logic. People tend to believe information if it comes from someone perceived as an expert or influencer, regardless of accuracy.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, and X (formerly Twitter) have algorithms designed to maximise user engagement, not truthfulness. Posts that get the most likes, comments, and shares are shown to more users. Often these are controversial or emotional stories. Have you noticed when you are browsing on the web for a particular item and how the next few days that item will pop up on your screen no matter what site you are using? They are designed to remember the things that grabbed our attention. Fake news outlets pay to promote their stories, while bot networks make the content look more popular than it is.
Over the years I have become more sensitive to fake news. The greatest impact that changed my thought process was the 2016 presidential election with Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. The verbal attacks and false information distributed against her by Fox News and other networks in support of Trump was a major wake-up call for me. As a young man, I worked in broadcast media where we were lectured daily to always tell and share the truth with our listeners and viewers. I still scratch my head when I am unable to find any integrity in certain media outlets today. Here are a few examples of the real-world impact of fake news:
COVID-19 Misinformation - We were bombarded with false cures, vaccine myths, and conspiracy theories that led to vaccine hesitancy and unnecessary deaths. The biggest lie was that governments created the vaccine to kill certain groups of people. Someone even shared with me that aliens made the vaccine and if I received it I would turn into a green monster with pointed ears. You may laugh, but many people that I know well believed these stories and refused to get tested. I also remember when Donald Trump proclaimed that drinking bleach would eliminate COVID from the body. Many followed his orders, but I am certain that not one drop of bleach entered his mouth.
Election Misinformation - Stop the Steal movement in the U.S. and fake election results in other countries stirred political unrest. Do you remember the lies that the election was stolen from Trump when Joe Biden won? Also, throughout poor and ethnic communities in America, mailboxes were removed so that residents wouldn't be able to mail in their voting ballots. This was authorised by the Trump Administration to sabotage the postal service to suppress mail-in voting.
Fake Celebrity Deaths - Hoaxes spread rapidly, with fans grieving people who were very much alive. There have been so many fake death stories. Here are a few that may jog your memory: George Clooney, Eddie Murphy, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Sylvester Stallone, Jackie Chan, Bill Murray, Nicholas Cage, Dwayne Johnson, and the list continues to grow.
Deepfake Videos and Advertising - AI-generated photos and videos of politicians or celebrities saying things they never actually said were very persuasive.
Sometimes I feel paranoid when I check every story that is shared with me by friends and colleagues and the ones that I see on my screen. Here are some of the sources that I use to check what's real or fake news and you have probably used a couple of them:
-Google Reverse Image Search
The truth is under attack every day, not by complex conspiracies, but by something far simpler—our clicks, shares, and reactions. In this digital age, we’re all gatekeepers of information. The next time you read a shocking headline or see a viral post, pause and ask yourself: Is it true? Where did it come from? I am training myself to verify every story before sharing it with others. Because the power to stop misinformation starts with us.
Comments