Fake News: How to Watch in a “Post-truth Era”

December 2016: Russian hackers infiltrated an American power station in Vermont. The news roared across social media after it was published in the article “Russian hackers penetrated U.S. electricity grid through a utility in Vermont, officials say.”

The story made sense. There were already allegations Moscow had stolen information from the Democratic National Committee’s computers. In addition, the newspaper that reported it was the same one that broke the Watergate scandal—which led to Richard Nixon resigning from the presidency. The organization’s website even has a section called Fact Checker.

But there is something fundamentally wrong with this information: it is false!

You would expect one of the top 10 papers in the United States to handle its reporting truthfully. Yet despite the seemingly reputable source, Russians did not take control of the electricity grid.

After being outed as untrue, the newspaper issued a retraction. An editor’s note on the top of the article stated that no evidence of Russian hacking had been found “so far.”

In reality, there is no wiggle room here—authorities found zero links to Moscow. This was purely a case of sloppy reporting crafted to fit a political agenda.

Yet many today still think this news item is accurate.

This one story introduces a topic you have likely heard a lot about lately: “fake news.” This term is thrown about constantly—both from the left and right sides of the political spectrum.

In the end, any news watcher is forced to wonder, What can I believe? This is especially true in what has been considered a “post-truth” era. The term was Oxford Dictionaries’ 2016 “word of the year.” It means “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”

All of this presents a challenge for those keeping Christ’s command in Luke 21:36, which states, “Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

To escape soon-coming, earth-shattering events, we must watch! We are to keep an eye on ourselves—that we diligently obey God—but we are also to watch world trends and conditions. In other words, we should stay up to date with current events.

But how can you fulfill God’s command to watch in an era where you cannot always trust the headlines?

Different Categories

There has always been a wide range of authenticity in reporting—everything from completely made up stories to reporting on real events in a way intended to sway the thinking of readers. “Fake news” is just a modern name for something that has been around for a long time.

The Observer published an article explaining four categories of fake news. (Note that the term “fake news” is an umbrella term, but it most accurately defines the first category listed here.)

(1) Entirely fake stories. These are news stories that are completely fabricated to attract as many clicks as possible. This attention generates advertisement revenue, and fake-news crafters rely on the fact that many people take information for granted.

In one extreme example, just before Election Day to determine the next U.S. president, a social media posting regarding a Washington, D.C., pizzeria claimed the small restaurant was really a front that catered to pedophiles. This claim was apparently based on hacked emails belonging to Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager. Sordid details snowballed from there, leading one man to take matters into his own hands by paying a personal visit to the pizzeria—armed with a loaded weapon!

Thankfully, no one was injured. Still, the pizzeria-pedophile connection turned out to be a prime example of fake news at its worst. What may have started as a “harmless” prank inflicted serious damage to the reputation and character of the pizza shop owner and others who got caught up in the scandal.

(2) Satire. Satirical newspapers and websites use parody and farce to craft stories usually based around real events or trends. These should never be taken literally.

Such outlets include The Onion in the U.S. and NewsBiscuit in the United Kingdom. Both of these concoct completely fake stories to be humorous and poke fun at society.

There are also satirical television news programs such as The Daily Show, “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live, and Red Eye. Although these use facts to frame some of their routines, satirical reporters and newscasters wield humor to draw in and sometimes politically influence followers.

Because satirical outlets use deadpan humor, their stories can appear legitimate. For example, one article titled, “Study Finds Every Style of Parenting Produces Disturbed, Miserable Adults,” jokingly mentioned the California Parenting Institute as the source of the research. As a result, the non-profit began to receive calls from concerned mothers and fathers.

(3) Poorly reported news that fits an agenda. This involves a reporter not getting all the details on an event, but still running with a story to make it say what he wants it to say.

Observer noted that “this is the biggest problem the media currently faces,” and listed the Russian hacking an electricity grid story as a prime example. While it was not entirely made up, it is “an example of extremely sloppy reporting that appeared to support…much of the mainstream media’s narrative about Russia.”

(4) Misleading news. This is slightly different from the previous category in that, even with all the facts gathered and presented, news media can slant truths and put political spin on details.

There are several ways this can be done, including taking true stories out of context, putting emphasis on some aspects of a story and not others, using reports from sources who are lying, highlighting certain elements of a story and jumping to conclusions, and showing clear disdain for the opinions of one political side over the other.

With these in mind, how do you separate fact from fiction, and recognize bias in news reports?

“Prove All Things”

Being in the Church, you understand that there is worldwide deception (Rev. 12:9). You came out of it! Therefore, it is possible to slip into the thinking that mainstream news sources are “in on it” as well and deliberately seek to spread mass deception.

Yes, almost all mainstream media sources are biased to a certain degree, and will at times report things that are partially untrue. Generally, though, large, reputable news organizations are not masterminds of conspiratorial deceptions.

Realize that mainstream media is necessary to use as a gauge for events that are occurring. For instance, if just one news outlet reports a story that most larger ones did not, it is likely false. Remember, reporters’ jobs and the notoriety of their companies depend on whether they report on real events.

In the digital age when newspaper revenue has drastically declined, however, everyone is having to cut costs. This means that less editors, fact checkers, and copy editors see stories before they are printed or posted. The potential for errors and bias are thus stronger than ever. Therefore, when you watch, you must be diligent.

Think again of the process of coming into God’s truth. You had to “prove all things” and then are commanded to “hold fast that which is good” (I Thes. 5:21).

While the process of proving fundamental Bible truths happens once, this applies in principle when you turn on a news program or open a newspaper.

Tools of the Trade

The time to be most skeptical of a news story is when its headline or overall premise elicits a strong emotional response. Why? Because you are more likely to immediately believe it even if it is fabricated.

In this case, grabbing the attention of the reader, even at the expense of accuracy, is almost always the goal of the author of such material. On the internet, you are then likely to share it with a friend and spread the potential misinformation further.

One example of this was a story published in a popular Israeli newspaper. It stated that the nation’s government was “sterilizing Ethiopian Jews.”

While the article was quickly retracted and the outlet apologized—many people critical of the government continue to forward this story to others because it fits with their strongly held beliefs. If journalists and readers had taken a more level-headed approach, however, this rumor would have died long ago or never been started in the first place.

Whenever you have a strong emotional response to a headline, stop yourself. Take a deep breath and do a little research to ensure the story is legitimate.

Even if an article or fact does not boil your blood, it is still wise to have some healthy skepticism. Always be aware of the source of the information when scouring the news. It is best to lean on seasoned, long-lasting publications. Yes, they may get a story wrong from time to time, but their hard-earned reputation is on the line.

As mentioned, though, everyone has a bias. Knowing this, it is good to do a little research on the internet and Google the name of the publication or look up an outlet on Wikipedia to see its political leanings. While this site can be subject to incorrect information, a good way to know if an article posted on it is generally accurate is to check for links embedded within it that back up what is being said. As long as the article itself has strong references, it usually means that the posting is legitimate.

Another option to better understand a source is to look at the “About” section on a source’s homepage. This can often be found at the top of its webpage.

Reading both sides will provide a glimpse into the publication itself and allow you to compare how both the publication views itself versus how it is viewed by the public. You can then keep this in mind while you read certain news sources.

Ensure articles and newscasters bring real, factual reporting to the table. They should be quoting noted experts and solid facts you can check.

Be wary of “anonymous” sources. If a person will not go on the record or if information is leaked, take it with a grain of salt—you are not likely getting the full truth.

Anonymous sources are especially sketchy when they request their names not be included because the company or organization they work for told them they are not to speak about a certain topic. If someone cannot be trusted to keep their mouth closed, you should not automatically trust what they tell a reporter! It may be that the company has not given them all of the facts yet or has not revealed the full picture of a situation to a certain level employee.

In addition, always read beyond the headline. This tip seems like a “no-brainer,” but 6 in 10 articles that are shared about on Twitter are not read by the person who posts it, according to a 2016 study by Columbia University in New York.

Headlines typically do not tell the whole story and in the modern media industry are often written by someone who did not write the article. Realize that the goal of every newspaper is to attract as much attention as possible—whether to gain more wealth, prestige or to educate and affect readers. It is much easier to get more eyeballs on sensationalized versions of events.

A good rule of thumb: If it sounds too good to be true, it is probably false!

Along these lines, be very careful with content in Facebook’s news feeds. A Slate article stated: “People tend to read, like, and share stories that appeal to their emotions and play to their existing beliefs. Without robust countervailing forces favoring credibility and accuracy, Facebook’s news feed algorithm is bound to spread lies, especially those that serve to bolster people’s preconceived biases. And these falsehoods are bound to influence people’s thinking.”

Put simply, do not use Facebook as your main source of news!

Another key to ensure that something is widely reported is to read several different reports covering the same event. An article by Associated Press and one by Agence France-Presse about the same event will have different titles, facts, interviews, data, pictures and videos. You will notice that one may even use the article as a platform to discuss politics or further an agenda while the other sticks to just the facts.

Note the differences and combine them to get the full story. This is a process called cross-examination.

Even when news stories appear on multiple news sites, you must still be careful. The outlets may be pointing to the same inaccurate source or flawed reporting.

In addition, note when articles are “opinion pieces” or are called “editorials.” You can learn and glean from such commentaries, but remember they are filled with an individual’s opinion.

Yet there is no need to be paranoid about every news story. If a story in a reputable source sticks with “just the facts,” such as a report about a natural disaster or financial effects, you will generally be fine. These types of articles are typically safe from journalistic tampering.

Follow the overall principle: Be balanced when viewing the news.

Beyond Watching

You make sure you get your facts from multiple sources. You keep publications’ biases and agendas in mind. You do not blindly trust every website that pops up on your screen. You are careful not to jump to conclusions.

Now what?

Remember, there is a fuller definition to “watch” in Luke 21:36 than just keeping up with news. The original Greek word means “to be sleepless, keep awake, watch; to be circumspect, attentive, ready.”

Now is not the time to spiritually doze off to sleep. When people stood watch in ancient times, they knew they were on guard for their lives and for the lives of others. It was a sobering, serious responsibility.

As you watch world events and see conditions deteriorating, it should keep you spiritually alert, attentive and ready, and make your prayers more fervent.

Ask yourself: Do you yearn for God’s Kingdom? Do the daily events of world news, its injustices, lack of vision and godly judgment, and its seemingly endless crises remind you what this rotten world lacks: the world to come?

Watching news should drive us to our knees—not make us feel the need to get into heated political discussions with others or look for every instance of prophecy advancing. When watching televised scenes of protesters violently rebelling against the government—people struggling to survive in the wake of a disastrous storm—frantic shoppers making a mad dash for consumer goods—our God wants to see whether we are motivated and truly desire to see this world’s governments and religious systems replaced by the soon-coming supergovernment of God!

You can and should make current events part of your fellowship with Church brethren. But be careful that what you say is true. And be wary of passing along your opinions and your ideas about a topic.

The apostle James warned about this: “My brethren, be not many masters [instructors], knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation [judgment]” (3:1).

Remember the entirety of Christ’s command to watch. It can be easy to allow news-watching to consume our time. Falling into the black hole of keeping up with current events and continuing to click on more links and dig deeper into comprehensive studies about topics can swallow up hours of the day—and ultimately take your focus off the Kingdom.

Instead, maintain a balanced approach, keep the big picture in mind, and you will help ensure “that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”