Friday, July 3, 2020

What can we do to mitigate fake news?

It is important to note that the consequences of sharing or being carried away by apocryphal information can lead to more serious consequences, not only due to the malicious campaigns behind these false messages and in some cases seeking to steal information and attack privacy, but also for those that directly affect health.

Although the work to combat fake news is a difficult task, as responsible users and aware of the possible consequences of spreading this type of message, it is essential to verify and collate both the sources and the information itself before distributing it, as well as taking caution the information that is disseminated through the Internet, not believing everything that is published and having the ability to discern.

Although sometimes this type of information could express our own ideas, this does not imply that it is reliable and true information, there may be a bias. Argentine technologist and entrepreneur Santiago Bilinkis, author of several books and TED speaker of talks on the power of manipulation of social networks explained in an interview that people often share what they would like to be true, not caring so much that the message is legitimate. For this reason, acting responsibly consists of analyzing the impact that the dissemination of information could have, spending time to know the context of the note (source, date, medium), as well as leaving the bubble and consulting more about it before to share technology architect job description.

If you are not sure of the veracity of the information, you must avoid sharing the content. This is very important, since in this way the disinformation chain is broken and we contribute so that fewer people can be affected.

On the other hand, the media and opinion leaders play an equally important role, since they are often the initial issuers of information. If the data turns out to be false, the impact is much greater: with a great influence they have a great responsibility.

The dissemination of this information is probably done intentionally by various interests, but if this occurs by mistake, it is always necessary to clarify and correct the false information. Whatever the reason, they have unfortunately also contributed to the spread of fake content, which can make them an unreliable source, with some consequences already mentioned.

Furthermore, actions against false news are also equally necessary in the media used for the spread. For example, the companies responsible for the platforms that are usually used for the dissemination of fake news have begun to develop detection methods and mechanisms to report this content when possible, which translates into a way of dealing with these offensive actions. .

The way ahead against fake news
This is a complex problem, since there are different interests involved. For example, one of the most common reasons for spreading fake news is the profits they generate from the creators of this apocryphal content through the monetization of site visits, or through malicious campaigns that also monetize the information obtained.

On the other hand, there are other types of factors such as political interests, cybercrime or simply to spread viral jokes. Regardless of origin and motivations, we find ourselves with more and more different levels of false information and in different areas, with increasingly shocking consequences that demand that people be more prepared to deal with this scenario.

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