Fake News: The Election Edition
In an election campaign we have the responsibility of getting informed. The challenge, especially in social media, is how to separate the information from the disinformation.
It’s been a long Election Season in Ontario, with a Provincial Election recently over and a Federal Election now begun.
While Canada has united against the actions of Donald Trump, we now have to decide who will lead our country through this unprecedented time. This election promises to be very active, with lots of campaigning by our political parties.
Unfortunately, we also know that other countries will want to influence this election. And while the Canadian Government has put measures in place to protect the 2025 General Election, it also asserts that “an informed and resilient public is the strongest defence against disinformation.”
So, how do we get informed, and how do we identify disinformation?
Invest some time
Find out who your local candidates are. Visit their websites. Go to sources you trust. In Canada the major networks and newspapers are still committed to unbiased journalism. That said, we all have biases, so be aware of your own. Go to a debate. If you are a new voter, find out how our electoral system works. It may not be perfect, but refusing to vote is NOT the way to make change.
Don’t rely on Google
Answers generated by AI (e.g. Google or Perplexity) should not be considered ‘truth’, because they are little more than an amalgam of data from the Internet. Instead go to the source websites themselves, and don’t assume that the best information is on the first page of results.
Understand how social media works
Every social media platform uses an algorithm to ‘suggest’ posts that you will see. ‘Truth’ is not part of that algorithm. Channels that you follow, paid posts and viral posts are. Also, each network has it’s own bias. You will never get objective news from social media.
Ask your kids
If you use social media, you will most certainly see campaign ads and messaging about the election. While adults may be concerned that young people ‘believe everything they see on social media’, the reality is that school-aged youth are better equipped these days to spot disinformation than their elders who are more trusting of what they read online.
Learn how to spot ‘fake news’
An infographic was created in 2017 by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). It offers the following eight ways to tell if a claim is valid or if it’s fabricated. It can also be used to judge the veracity of TikTok posts and YouTube videos. You can download the infographic here.
How to spot fake news
- Consider the Source – Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission and its contact info. If it’s a post, look at it’s feed.
- Read Beyond – Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What’s the whole story?
- Check the Author – Do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?
- Supporting Sources? – Click on those links. Determine if the info given actually supports the story. Check other channels or websites (including news outlets) to see if they are saying the same thing.
- Check the Date – Reposting old news stories don’t mean they’re relevant to current events.
- Is it a Joke? – If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure.
- Check your Biases – Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgment.
- Ask the Experts – Ask a librarian or consult a fact-checking site.
This is an important time in Canada’s history. An election is one of those times when we have a say in our future. This election let’s be sure that our future is not determined by foreign countries or their leaders. Let’s make a commitment to becoming informed and voting.
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