LibGuides: Evaluating Sources: Fake News and Bias

What is Fake News?

According to Wikipedia, "fake news" consists of deliberate disinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional news media (print and broadcast) or online social media... usually with the intent to mislead in order to damage an agency, entity, or person, and/or gain financially or politically, often using sensationalist, dishonest, or outright fabricated headlines to increase readership... Publishing a story with false content that attracts users benefits advertisers and improves ratings. (Wikipedia, 5/27/2020)

How does one spot Fake News?

Similar to evaluating scholarly academic sources, critical thinking is required to evaluate news sources for reliability.

How to Spot Fake News
A basic check list from IFLA.

Fact Checking

Fact-checking is the act of verifying information in non-fictional text in order to determine its veracity and correctness. (Wikipedia, 5/27/2020)

Climate Feedback
A worldwide network of scientists sorting fact from fiction in climate change media coverage.
FactCheck.org
Mostly consists of rebuttals to what it considers inaccurate, misleading, or false claims made by politicians.
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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center
Fact Checker (Washington Post)
A feature in the Washington Post which rates statements by politicians, usually on a range of one to four Pinocchios.
Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC)
A website that rates factual accuracy and political bias in news media.
PolitiFact
Journalists reporting on the accuracy of statements made by those involved in U.S. politics. Each statement receives a "Truth-O-Meter" rating ranging from "True" to "Pants on Fire".
RealClearPolitics (RCP)
A political news site and polling data aggregator with the intent of fact-checking the fact-checkers.
Snopes
A "well-regarded reference for sorting out myths and rumors" on the Internet.

Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart Explained

Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart
The information landscape is vast and noisy. We’re here to help you sort through it by rating sources for reliability and bias. Obviously, people have lots of different thoughts about how reliable and biased various news sources are, so we do everything we can to earn your trust.