You may have found out about those metered strikes that never happen. Or the truth that some islands on earth can only just exist for 10 years or so before being submerged by global warming, but they still exist fifty per cent of a century later. While global warming might be a threat, are we getting fake survival warnings to prepare ourselves if you have still time?
All major issues concerning individual nations like the 2016 Presidential election in US and the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom or those problems that are of concern to the whole world like the matter of global warming and climate change are threatened by fake news that may result in catastrophic results. While the topic of fake news has gained a greater audience following 2016 US election, fake news has still had a worrisome effect on us.
Fake news is not just a recent phenomenon and has existed for quite a while but its impact has are more widespread with the spread of the net and social media. The fake news phenomenon has been aided by the rapid expansion of the digital medium and its capacity to supply any message across the planet at lightening fast speed. It contributes to a situation where such fake news can’t be checked, verified or challenged before it is made available worldwide.
Scientists grapple with fake news. Scientists studying climate change are grappling with this particular phenomenon of fake news which is able to sow the seeds of confusion in the minds of both most people whose support is essential to implement changes to truly save the environment in addition to your decision makers who’ve the responsibility of creating decisions which even when painful are necessary to prevent further environmental damage.
In such a scenario it is necessary that scientists step-up their efforts for wider dissemination of correct and factual data so that individuals are more science literate and can appreciate facts because they are and aren’t swayed by misinformation campaigns and deliberately leaked fake news. World bodies like the United Nations believes that the 2030 sustainable development goals can be met as long as scientific literature and discoveries obtain a wider audience.
The misinformation campaigns and deliberately leaked fake news and controversies have resulted in a situation where polls both in the US and UK reveal that although a large majority of scientists accept the truth that climate change phenomenon of the present day era is essentially fueled by human activities, the typical populace is not alert to such unanimity on the matter while many believe that it’s still an unsettled issue. Such a large scale denial of climate change and its causes is due to of the failure of the scientific community to effectively challenge fake news in regards to the issue.
An alteration of habits is needed. Inside their quest of wider dissemination of correct and factual data, scientists must change their long ingrained habit of sharing newspaper headlines information among the scientific community as their prime objective and instead must develop the habit of sharing their information not only with the scientific community but with most people also.
Inside their search for disseminating scientific information scientists must use assistance from latest technological tools so that they are able to develop effective method of two-way communication with the typical public. The new interdisciplinary field of translational ecology can help scientists work towards changing environmental research into public policy.
Turning the existing scenario into one where society understands and appreciates their perspective and is able to ascertain and understand the factual statements about climate change is vital if environmental issues are to get widespread support over the world. Among the ways where we are able to support the growth of scientific temper is to understand what fake news is and trying to prevent it from spreading.
What is fake news? Ever since ancient times, rulers have indulged in slanting and planting news to serve their interests. But giving a slant to a news to match one’s beliefs or ideology can’t be called fake news. Fake news can be called a completely fabricated story without the basis that’s been floated by vested interests to serve their particular purpose.
We are also to blame! Today with the advent of the net everyone from someone to media to government have a share in the spread of fake news although their motives to do so may vary from increasing political clout, to achieving financial goals or any personal agenda. But how to understand whether the news headlines is genuine or fake?
In sifting for fake news, look at the origins of the news. If it’s carried by a legitimate supply of news odds are so it will not be fake but when it has originated from sources you’ve not heard of or are known to be of dubious nature then you definitely must take such news with a touch of salt and verify it from a known authentic source before you start believing it. The most obvious solution for checking the spread of fake news is human intervention. Technology by itself cannot sift and segregate fake news. Realizing this dimension Facebook has begun this type of practice and has enlisted International Fact Checking Network to look into that news that users have flagged as deliberate fakes.
Stopping the spread of fake news, you yourself must begin to take responsibility of what you share. Do not share anything on the social networking without starting the detail of the story or the photograph. Check the source of the story or the photo you wish to circulate and as long as they result from some reputable sources in case you share them.