In today’s digital environment, headlines, memes and videos flood our phones with news media and PR content every day. The ability to spot a fake piece of media is extremely challenging, especially with the growth and popularity of AI. An important skill that everyone should learn is how to spot fake discourse and identify proper factual sources. This skill is extremely important because fake news and misinformation can not only confuse the public but also ruin the reputations of and discredit truthful journalists.
Fake journalists or news outlets rely on dramatic tabloids and invasive headlines. These stories often lack proper grammar, spelling and credible sources. Here are some tips to avoid falling for fake media:
- If you can’t tell if the source is credible, then check with multiple sources to make sure the information aligns with each other.
- Look for any red flags within the author’s name or if there is no name at all.
- Most importantly, use credible fact-checking websites to help properly verify if the information is factual.
Taking these precautions to avoid fake news not only helps individuals but also the news in general because it can stop the passing on of misinformation. On a larger scale, fake news ties directly to how organizations use PR to manage their reputations. Ethical PR honors transparency and trustworthiness within its organization. When fake news is spread about a brand, its image can be damaged. That is why many organizations have PR specialists who face false accusations immediately, so their audiences are well informed.
On the other hand, PR can also be used to spread misinformation. For example, an organization could be involved in something morally wrong. Instead of telling the truth, their PR teams could put out false statements denying the accusation. A situation, like the example above, would be referred to as a crisis cover-up, spin tactics and using selective truths. Unethical PR cover-ups delay or hide the truth, which in some extreme cases can be detrimental and allow for harmful or immoral behavior to continue longer. Knowing the difference between unethical and ethical PR is essential because it sheds light on the power PR has over society. The faster individuals can recognize fake news and unethical PR, the faster society can spot unreliable information and stop the continuation of false information and accusations.
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that PR can be a blessing and a curse. Ethical PR helps build trust between the public and the organization itself. Unethical PR can spread false information and encourage bad patterns. Media literacy is not only about recognizing an unrealistic AI video or reading a false headline. It is about being able to ask questions about power, accountability and ethics and seeing them for what they are.
Shalom Boben is a third-year student majoring in Communication Studies. You can find Shalom on LinkedIn here.