Tackling misinformation: Six checks to spot ‘fake news’

Learning to differentiate fact from fabrication is a crucial skill. Here are six tips on how to spot fake news.

Moose Media has become aware of a doctored image incorrectly purporting to be an Energeticcity.ca news article being shared on social media.

The article, which falsely claims a Fort St. John man was arrested for child molestation, contains multiple red flags that reveal it’s fake.

Energeticcity.ca is not publishing the fake article or providing more details to avoid spreading the incorrect information further. 

In an age where misinformation can be spread easily online, learning to differentiate fact from fabrication is a crucial skill. 

Here are some tips on how to do so:

1. Always check the source directly

If a headline seems shocking, controversial or otherwise suspicious, go straight to the official news site. In this case, searching for the article on Energeticcity.ca doesn’t yield any results, which immediately raises doubts about its legitimacy. 

Legitimate media organizations keep a public archive of their published stories and aren’t typically unpublished (deleted). If an article cannot be found on the original site, there is a strong possibility it is fake.

2. Look for formatting issues

Check other articles on the site in question to see if the formatting matches. 

In this case, articles on Energeticcity.ca typically have one to two sentences per line, not huge paragraphs. If images are featured, they are formatted in a consistent way. 

None of the above apply to the doctored screenshot. The screenshot in question also appears to contain several design inconsistencies, such as uneven spacing.

3. Think about journalistic ethics

Reputable news outlets do not usually identify victims of sexual assault, especially children. They also avoid graphic or sensationalist language. 

This fake article does both, violating basic standards of responsible journalism.

4. Use tools to verify

A quick reverse image search or check on the Wayback Machine, which archives previous versions of various websites, can help confirm whether an article ever existed. If it doesn’t show up, it likely never did.

5. Consider the intent

Sometimes fake news is made to shock. In this particular case, the screenshot seemed designed to harass or defame someone.

Legitimate journalism is designed to inform and analyze information on matters in the public interest.

6. Check multiple sources

If you find a questionable news article from a source you don’t recognize and have completed the various checks above and still have concerns, check multiple, trustworthy sources for the same story to verify it. 

Although news sites can publish exclusives, if you can’t find the story on any reputable platforms, it could be a sign that it is fake.

If you’re still unsure about an article’s authenticity on Energeticcity.ca, feel free to contact our news director Franki Berry at franki@moosemediafsj.ca.