“Truth or Fake” 2020: 4 tips for detecting fake news online
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At a time when the COVID-19 virus is ravaging the world, it’s more important than ever to sort what’s true from what’s fake online. “Truth or Fake” is a 9-minute video from the France 24 Observers that uses real examples of fake news from the last 12 months, and gives concrete tips on how to detect when images have been falsified or taken out of context.
The 2020 edition of "Truth or Fake "focuses on four topics: how to find a photo or video’s original context; how to look for visual clues in an image that reveal its origin; how to track a video’s source on social networks; and real-life examples of the dangers of sharing fake news online.
"Truth or Fake" is produced annually for France’s “Media in Schools” week. With France on lockdown since March 16 because of the coronavirus, the 2020 event, taking place March 23-27, has been renamed “Media at Home”. Teachers will be able to use “Truth or Fake” as a teaching tool as they continue classes online.
While it is targeted for students, "Truth or Fake" contains tips and techniques useful for social network users of all ages. The programme draws on the France 24 Observers team’s day-to-day work verifying amateur content online.
"Truth or Fake" 2020 has four sections :
- 30 seconds to find the real context. “Fake” images are almost always genuine images that have been taken out of their original context and posted with a misleading caption.
- Open your eyes! We explain how to look for visual clues that can reveal an image’s true context.
- The “attempted assassination” of a Saudi prince. Tips on how to find the origin of a video on social networks.
- Greta Thunberg and her doppelganger. Fake news can have real-life consequences.
Editorial team: Maëva Poulet, Alexandre Capron, Derek Thomson, Catherine Bennett, Fatma Ben Hamad, Imed Bensaied, Natalia Ruiz Giraldo, Luis Miguel Cabrera
Editing: Cécile Gianfrotta
Graphics: Kévin Bernier, Ahmed Chedly Laroui