The definition “fake news” has now become part of our daily language, it corresponds to the Italian way of saying media hoax. Digital technologies have accelerated the spread of media hoaxes, therefore, often, we don’t even have the time to verify if that news is true, which has already been shared in all the newspapers and on various social networks.

If the various media do not verify the source, and relaunch a story thinking it is true, a cascade mechanism is triggered. This phenomenon helps to highlight the weaknesses and unreliability that can sometimes affect the media system, as well as the unpredictable consequences that the dissemination of untrue news can bring. The web is a democratic square where everyone can express themselves and share their ideas, but this square is sometimes frequented by people who create “fake news”, which then bounce on the net, spreading disinformation. What can we do to try to avoid falling into fake news? First, check your sources, who published that story first? Even the way and the context with which something is told has an important weight. You should know that there are also sites dedicated to verifying fake news. The greatest advice I can give you is to think critically, don’t believe everything you read, better listen to everyone, but then think for yourself.

Knowing how to recognize if news is true is one of the foundations of journalism.

Barbara Molinario