In our daily lives, few things drive conversation more than the press. The coverage, investigation and reporting of news is the fuel that carries small conversation and political discourse. Press plays such an important role that press freedom is enshrined in international law—codified under Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights—and in national laws across the globe.
In many parts of the world, media outlets are currently being censored, fined and suspended, while journalists are being detained, harassed and even murdered simply for doing their job. Freedom of the press continues to be as important today as ever--important for journalists, but also for every person who wants to be well-informed. It’s about respecting the information, ideas, and opinions that circulate around the world.
At Nexis, we believe that one of the best ways to support a free press is to proactively avoid adding to the very real problem of fake news. Let’s explore three ways to avoid amplifying untrustworthy sources, and how you can use Nexis to make the job easier.
Verify the Details
The internet offers today’s consumers access to a nearly infinite amount of information. Unfortunately, it also offers countless unreliable sources that can easily be confused with reputable publications. The sheer volume of information—and how commonly used search engines like Google serve it all up together—makes it extremely difficult for the average person to discern what’s written for clicks, and what has been vetted, researched and double-checked by a professional journalist dedicated to ethical reporting.
If you come across a detail or statement in a story that feels suspect, cross-reference the information in other, trusted publications to see if it’s covered elsewhere. Nexis also offers biographical information on individuals, company data, industry reports and much more, which means if you can’t confirm a detail in your search, you’ve likely encountered something that doesn’t bear repeating.
Pro tip: Nexis allows you to save your go-to resources under the Sources tab, making it even easier to fact-check questionable sources when they pop up.
Be Mindful of Social Media
Social media networks have become echo chambers for polarizing beliefs of all types, incentivizing media to prioritize sensationalism over facts and creating a perfect breeding ground for misinformation. Viral fake news has become an almost universal problem on these networks, with Ipsos reporting that 67% of Facebook users claim to have been exposed to fake news on the platform.
Thankfully, many social networks have introduced features that encourage users to actually read content before sharing it. For example, if you opt to re-tweet an article on Twitter before clicking the link, you’ll be automatically prompted to verify that you have read the article before you can share it.
This is a good start, but the best way to avoid spreading fake news on social media is to verify the source story’s validity before sharing it with your network. For example, the Nexis licensing partnerships means that users can check the claims against millions of global sources—even if they’re behind a paywall.
Identify the Source
Another fake news trend that runs rampant on social media is the spread of sensational and unattributed “facts” that are typically accompanied by a slick visual treatment. From a made-up Churchill “quote” in an arresting speech bubble to jarring migration “statistics” set over photos of immigrants crossing a river, these micro fake news items are an all-too-common feature in most people's Facebook feed.
These too can be easily avoided by utilizing your research platform to identify the source (or lack thereof) of each statement. Given Nexis’ depth of data, if a fact can’t be found or corroborated utilizing a targeted search, it should not be shared.
If you’re ready to support freedom of the press by upping your organization’s commitment to battling fake news, Nexis is your one-stop-shop for getting started. Request a Nexis demo today.