Welcome to the first ‘Whats New News’! Here you can keep up to date on what current events are happening in the world, along with tips and tricks on how to stay informed. It’s always difficult to keep your ear to the ground in college so today we’ll be doling out a few tips on how to stay current, and avoid fake news (I know, its very exciting stuff).
First off, what is fake news? Well you’ve probably heard by now that its any story that is reported to be true but is in fact, well, fake. According to google trends this phenomena was relatively unheard of until it exploded in November 2016. This can largely be attributed to Donald Trump, who at the time attacked the American media regarding any negative coverage as ‘Fake News’ during his presidential campaign. This trend reached its peak interest in January of this year due to the controversy between American President Trump and Robert Mueller, who was leading the investigation for ties between Russia and Trump.
Since then fake news has been a topic of much debate. But today I’m going to give a few tips on how to stay informed and how to avoid fake news.
- Trustworthy News Outlets – Get your news from a variety of established and respected news sources. A handy way to check if an organisations website is more secure and legitimate is if their URL has a https rather than just http. The S stands for secure, and is only awarded to websites that have achieved the standards for a SSL certificate.
- Opinions vs Facts – While most respected organisations strive to maintain unbiased news reporting, learn to notice the different language used when news is presented. Furthermore be aware of when the reporting has gone from stating clear facts and statements, and when opinions and thoughts are being expressed
- Vary Your News Sources – Public outlets such as RTE and BBC are held to a higher standard of unbiased news, however private sources such as CNN and Fox News, don’t have these same restrictions. Bias is unavoidable but use it as a chance to hear opinions you wouldn’t normally be exposed to. Listen to the reporting of story from a right-wing organisation such as Fox, and then a left-wing organisation such as CNN, and then make your own opinion.
- Check Your Sources Sources – It may seem like a lot of work, but its always worth it to check out what sources news outlets use. Ensure your news outlet at least lists their sources, and then decide if you trust these sources.
- Right Medium for Your Media – Pick a medium that suits you best to get your news. Find something convenient that you know your going to check regularly. For example if you watch TV then the 6 o’clock news on RTE will be perfect for you. If you prefer to watch YouTube then check out large outlets channels, as well as independent reporters such as Phillip DeFranco. If you like to read check out different websites such as the Irish Independent or New York times.
I know it takes a lot to stay informed nowadays, but its always worth it to know whats going on in the world. Stay tuned to find out whats new in the news.
Finbar
sources-
Google trends – https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=%2Fg%2F1210rwkh
Https – https://www.instantssl.com/ssl-certificate-products/https.html
Mueller vs Trump – https://www.nytimes.com/topic/person/robert-mueller-mdash-fbi-director
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mueller