"Fake News" is everywhere right now. The image on the left was created using Hoaxy, and shows the spread of a fake news story (purple) on Twitter compared to an article on the same subject from the fact checking website Politifact (orange). (The larger circles are accounts with more followers.)
Fake news is defined as "news that resembles legitimate journalism in its content, format, or delivery but is in fact circulated either to propagate a specific agenda or to make money for the source organization by stirring up controversy with outrageous or sensational headlines." Although fake news has been around for a while, interest in it and concern about its effects have peaked since the 2016 US Presidential election. Troublingly, 64% of Americans say they have trouble distinguishing real news from fake. Being able to identify fake news, and knowing how to find fact checks and real news, are important skills for anyone who seeks an engaged approach to citizenship in today's age.
