Denton County Living Well Magazine September/October 2022 | Page 18

HOW TO RECOGNIZE

FAKE NEWS & HALT THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION IN ITS TRACKS

By KIMBERLY BLAKER

Thanks to the internet ’ s prevalence and easy access through smartphones and other devices , all the world ’ s information can fit inside our pockets . The latest news , information , and anything you could ever want to know are all just a few clicks away . Unfortunately , the growth of information on the internet has given rise to fake news and misleading or factually incorrect information . The problem of fake news continues to worsen causing further division in our communities and across the country .

Everyone who spends time on the internet will be exposed to fake news at some point , and many will be taken in by false claims . But some demographics are more susceptible . Those who create and spread fake news know this and which demographics tend to struggle more with technology and information . Fake news creators take advantage of targeting specific populations that may not have developed the skills and nuance to know how to sort facts from fiction online .
In fact , Andrew Guess et al . published their study of the 2016 presidential campaign , “ Less than you think : Prevalence and predictors of fake news dissemination on Facebook .” They found that Facebook users over the age of 65 were almost seven times more likely to share fake news articles than the youngest age range .
Seniors may be particularly at risk for fake news because they ’ re “ digital immigrants ” who learned to use computers and similar devices at an older age . So , seniors may not be as fluent or comfortable with technology or as readily able to disseminate between legitimate and illegitimate sources of information .
“ Digital natives ,” on the other hand , are those who grew up in a world with the internet , computers , and smartphones and have had more experience and understanding of its subtleties . It ’ s almost like the difference between being fluent in a language you were raised with versus learning a new language when you ’ re older .
Despite this , statistics show that all age groups and demographics are susceptible to falling for or sharing fake news . According to a 2018 YouGov poll , 41 % of those between 18-34 and 44 % of those 65 and older agree with the statement , “ I sometimes think fake news is real , only to find out later it was incorrect .”
Overall , Americans realize misinformation online is prevalent and dangerous . Yet , according to Statista , “ Fake News – Statistics & Facts ,” only 26 % are very confident in their ability to recognize fake news . Just 34 % trust social media and 67 % believe fake news causes a great deal of confusion .
Fortunately , there are ways to combat and hinder the widespread dispersal of fake news . It just requires learning to protect yourself and educating oneself to differentiate between sources to gather accurate and verified information .
16 • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022