## 4.2 : Fake news

Fake news (pseudo news) and hoaxes (false messages) have been around for a long time, but their spread has been rapid since the rise of social media. Anyone can post content on the internet nowadays. As a result, the lines between news, fake news and advertisements seem to blur. It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish them from each other and form an informed opinion.

Why do people actually spread fake news and why do we believe it? What is the danger of fake news and how do you recognize it? What is being done against it and how can you best deal with it yourself? This is what the website Keepin' It Real: Tips & Strategies for Evaluating Fake News, developed by Loyola Marymount University, is about.

The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) has prepared the infographic ‘How To Spot Fake News’ below to help you verify a particular news-piece.

IFLA, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons