Latest news with #fakenews
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Support journalism that is independent and honest
(Stock photo by Nenov via Getty Images Plus) I am often overwhelmed and alarmed by much of what passes as news in the United States. Moreover, the problem of fake news is increasing as we become ever more polarized and as our government tries to undermine and to silence media that exposes intentions and actions it wants to keep hidden from us. Adding to the problem is the proliferation of social media posts that may or may not be accurate. Increasingly, I have become a supporter of independent journalism and have dropped my subscriptions to local papers — owned by what some call vulture equity firms, interested only in power and profit. I've even dropped my long-time subscriptions to two well-known national newspapers. Instead, I support my local library, where I can access, online, my local newspaper, as well as national news publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX I am not necessarily advocating that you drop your newspaper subscription. Instead, I am hoping you are aware of the many independent news sources available to you. In Colorado, among those I support are Colorado Sun, Mountain Ear and this newspaper, Colorado Newsline (part of the States Newsroom organization). Conveniently, in Colorado alone there are many more independent news sources than the three I have named. The Media and Democracy Project has compiled a list that can be found at the organization's website. Personally, I also support a number of independent national news sources, some of which are identified online at Most crucially, I support those organizations that support independent journalism in a variety of ways — organizations such as the Colorado News Collaborative, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Media and Democracy Project. What do I mean by independent news sources? Independent news sources are those that are free from the influence of governments, corporations or special interest groups, ensuring that what they report is truthful. To determine independence, you could begin by looking at whether the news source is more reliant on facts than on opinions/arguments, by investigating the sources of its funding and whether there are potential conflicts of interest, by evaluating its history and track record (e.g., its record for exposing criminality or abuses of power), and by assessing the extent to which it follows established journalistic standards and ethics. When I want to ensure that what I am reading is trustworthy, I search for primary sources if available (e.g., a C-Span video or a legal document) and for additional reports on the topic. I search Reuters Fact Check, Snopes, and Media Bias/Fact Check, too — all available online. We are awash in fake news, and it is eating away at our society. We deserve an honest, skeptical, independent press. Too much of corporate-run media is only interested in lining their own pockets at our expense. According to a Sept. 18, 2020, article in TechStartups online: These media conglomerates are owned by the elite or the ruling class, which extends its reach to encompass not only traditional power structures but also modern behemoths like big tech companies, exerting control over the content we consume — what we read, watch, and listen to … The term 'elite' often slips into our conversations without much thought, yet its roots and significance remain unfamiliar to many. Derived from the French élite, which traces back to the Latin eligere, meaning 'to select or to sort out,' elites represent a select group of influential individuals who wield a disproportionate share of wealth, privilege, political power, or expertise within society. Are you confused and overwhelmed about whom and what to believe? If so, make a point of becoming a savvy news consumer, and spreader, of truly important and reliable news. Don't repeat or repost something you've read without first checking out whether it's true. And support independent journalism. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Chicago Sun-Times accused of using AI to create reading list of books that don't exist
Illinois' prominent Chicago Sun-Times newspaper has been accused of using artificial intelligence (AI) to create and publish a summer reading list that includes several recommendations for books that don't exist. Social media posts began to circulate on Tuesday criticizing the paper for allegedly using the AI software ChatGPT to generate an article with book recommendations for the upcoming summer season called 'Summer reading list for 2025'. As such chatbots are known to make up information, a phenomenon often referred to as 'AI hallucination', the article contains several fake titles attached to real authors. 'I went into my library's database of Chicago area newspapers to confirm this isn't fake, and it's not,' a post on Bluesky by Book Riot editor Kelly Jensen says. 'Why the hell are you using ChatGPT to make up book titles? You used to have a books staff. Absolutely no fact checking?' As early Tuesday afternoon, the post had more than 1,000 likes and nearly 500 reposts. Among the fake book titles are Hurricane Season by Brit Bennett, Nightshade Market by Min Jin Lee, The Longest Day by Rumaan Alam, Boiling Point by Rebecca Makkai, Migrations by Maggie O'Farrell and The Rainmakers by Percival Everett. All of those authors listed are real acclaimed novelists – but the books attached to them are not genuine titles that they published. Additionally, the article includes descriptions for each of the phoney books as well as reasons why readers may enjoy them. The article does include a few real titles, such as Atonement by Ian McEwan. Others on social media have pointed out that the use of AI appears to be found throughout the pages of the Chicago Sun-Times summer 2025 section. Screenshots of an article called 'Summer food trends' shows the piece quotes a purported Cornell University food anthropologist named Catherine Furst. But there appears to be no one by that name at Cornell. In another article about ideas to spruce up one's back yard, it quotes a purported editor named Daniel Ray. No such website seems to exist. On Tuesday morning, the official account for the Chicago Sun-Times on Bluesky addressed the controversy. 'We are looking into how this made it into print as we speak,' the account wrote. 'It is not editorial content and was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom. We value your trust in our reporting and take this very seriously. More info will be provided soon.' The AI-generated stories also appear to have been syndicated outside Chicago. A post on Threads by AngelaReadsBooks accused the Philadelphia Inquirer of publishing the same fake reading list. 'At a time when libraries and library budgets are being threatened every day, this is a slap in the face to anyone in the profession,' the post reads. 'Where is the journalistic integrity???' Popular author Jasmine Guillory reacted to a post about the fake novels, writing on Threads: 'Holy shit. Just imaginary books and they printed it.' The Chicago Sun-Times, resulting from a 1948 merger, has long held the second largest circulation among newspapers in the Windy City. It trails only the Chicago Tribune. It was not immediately clear whether any other local newspapers circulated the AI articles. The rise of AI content is an ongoing issue with which newsrooms have had to grapple. Certain papers have openly utilized the technology and even put out job postings for 'AI-assisted' reporters.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why we fall for fake health information — and how it spreads faster than facts
Should you share that health-related Instagram post? (Catherine McQueen/Moment via Getty Images) In today's digital world, people routinely turn to the internet for health or medical information. In addition to actively searching online, they often come across health-related information on social media or receive it through emails or messages from family or friends. It can be tempting to share such messages with loved ones — often with the best of intentions. As a global health communication scholar studying the effects of media on health and development, I explore artistic and creative ways to make health information more engaging and accessible, empowering people to make informed decisions. Although there is a fire hose of health-related content online, not all of it is factual. In fact, much of it is inaccurate or misleading, raising a serious health communication problem: Fake health information — whether shared unknowingly and innocently, or deliberately to mislead or cause harm — can be far more captivating than accurate information. This makes it difficult for people to know which sources to trust and which content is worthy of sharing. Fake health information can take many forms. For example, it may be misleading content that distorts facts to frame an issue or individual in a certain context. Or it may be based on false connections, where headlines, visuals or captions don't align with the content. Despite this variation, such content often shares a few common characteristics that make it seem believable and more shareable than facts. For one thing, fake health information often appears to be true because it mixes a grain of truth with misleading claims. For example, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, false rumors suggested that drinking ethanol or bleach could protect people from the virus. While ethanol or bleach can indeed kill viruses on surfaces such as countertops, it is extremely dangerous when it comes into contact with skin or gets inside the body. Another marker of fake health information is that it presents ideas that are simply too good to be true. There is something appealingly counterintuitive in certain types of fake health information that can make people feel they have access to valuable or exclusive knowledge that others may not know. For example, a claim such as 'chocolate helps you lose weight' can be especially appealing because it offers a sense of permission to indulge and taps into a simple, feel-good solution to a complex problem. Such information often spreads faster because it sounds both surprising and hopeful, validating what some people want to believe. Sensationalism also drives the spread of fake health information. For instance, when critics falsely claimed that Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the chief medical adviser to the president at the time, was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, it generated a lot of public attention. In a study on vaccine hesitancy published in 2020, my colleagues and I found that controversial headlines in news reports that go viral before national vaccination campaigns can discourage parents from getting their children vaccinated. These headlines seem to reveal sensational and secret information that can falsely boost the message's credibility. The internet has created fertile ground for spreading fake health information. Professional-looking websites and social media posts with misleading headlines can lure people into clicking or quickly sharing, which drives more and more readers to the falsehood. People tend to share information they believe is relevant to them or their social circles. In 2019, an article with the false headline 'Ginger is 10,000x more effective at killing cancer than chemo' was shared more than 800,000 times on Facebook. The article contained several factors that make people feel an urgency to react and share without checking the facts: compelling visuals, emotional stories, misleading graphs, quotes from experts with omitted context and outdated content that is recirculated. Visual cues like the logos of reputable organizations or photos of people wearing white medical coats add credibility to these posts. This kind of content is highly shareable, often reaching far more people than scientifically accurate studies that may lack eye-catching headlines or visuals, easy-to-understand words or dramatic storylines. But sharing content without verifying it first has real-world consequences. For example, studies have found that COVID-19-related fake information reduces people's trust in the government and in health care systems, making people less likely to use or seek out health services. Unfounded claims about vaccine side effects have led to reduced vaccination rates globally, fueling the return of dangerous diseases, including measles. Social media misinformation, such as false claims about cinnamon being a treatment for cancer, has caused hospitalizations and even deaths. The spread of health misinformation has reduced cooperation with important prevention and treatment recommendations, prompting a growing need for medical professionals to receive proper training and develop skills to effectively debunk fake health information. In today's era of information overload, when anyone can create and share content, being able to distinguish between credible and misleading health information before sharing is more important than ever. Researchers and public health organizations have outlined several strategies to help people make better-informed decisions. Whether health care consumers come across health information on social media, in an email or through a messaging app, here are three reliable ways to verify its accuracy and credibility before sharing: Use a search engine to cross-check health claims. Never rely on a single source. Instead, enter the health claim into a reputable search engine like Google and see what trusted sources have to say. Prioritize information from established organizations like the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United Nations Children's Fund or peer-reviewed journals like The Lancet or Journal of the American Medical Association. If multiple reputable sources agree, the information is more likely to be reliable. Reliable fact-checking websites such as and Snopes can also help root out fake information. Evaluate the source's credibility. A quick way to assess a website's trustworthiness is to check its 'About Us' page. This section usually explains who is behind the content, their mission and their credentials. Also, search the name of the author. Do they have recognized expertise or affiliations with credible institutions? Reliable websites often have domains ending in .gov or .edu, indicating government or educational institutions. Finally, check the publication date. Information on the internet keeps circulating for years and may not be the most accurate or relevant in the present context. If you're still unsure, don't share. If you're still uncertain about the accuracy of a claim, it's better to keep it to yourself. Forwarding unverified information can unintentionally contribute to the spread of misinformation and potentially cause harm, especially when it comes to health. Questioning dubious claims and sharing only verified information not only protects against unsafe behaviors and panic, but it also helps curb the spread of fake health information. At a time when misinformation can spread faster than a virus, taking a moment to pause and fact-check can make a big difference. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Angshuman Kashyap is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
South China Morning Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
France hits back at false claim Macron, Starmer and Merz had drugs on train
Condemning 'fake news' and accusing Russia of seeking to undermine efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, France has hit back over false claims on social media that European leaders including President Emmanuel Macron were seen taking drugs on a train. The accusation was made widely on X by figures such as the US radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, but then also propagated by Russian officials, including foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. They shared actual footage of Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meeting in a compartment on their train to Kyiv, heading to talks on Saturday with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. As Merz and Starmer arrive in the compartment, Macron is seen removing a white tissue from the table. The accounts claimed, without any evidence, that the white object contained cocaine. Some social media users suggested that this tissue was a 'cocaine' bag. Photo: AP Pictures taken inside the train by Agence France-Presse and other media showed that the white object was a crumpled tissue.
