How to avoid getting conned by fake news sites

I suggest reading the whole article at the following link:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-avoid-getting-conned-by-fake-news-sites/

By Laura Hautala CNET November 21, 2016, 12:05 PM

You don’t need Socrates to tell you that some websites spin crazy, made-up yarns just so you’ll click a link.

False information and fake news have been a problem on the internet almost since the beginning. The situation is so bad, one website, Snopes.com, is dedicated to debunking crazy internet tales and rumors that pop up like digital cockroaches.

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Here’s our advice on how to flag false stories that just want to take you for every click you’re worth.
What is ‘fake news?’

First of all, let’s be clear: We’re not talking about websites with paid journalists who fact-check their reporting and build their brands on accuracy. (Reputable companies have rules on fact-checking. CNET’s reporters and reviewers are required to verify information and back it up with links to source material such as press releases, videos and websites.)

The issue is that legitimate news stories get mixed in with everything else on your Facebook “news” feed. That includes stories from websites that are posing as news sources to harvest your clicks. What’s more, even if you click a link to a well-researched Wall Street Journal story, Facebook could show you related stories from sites that don’t meet those same standards.

As CNET News Editor-in-Chief Connie Guglielmo pointed out, the problem here is that everything in social media is treated like news, with no distinctions.
How to flag fake news sites

The best tool at your disposal, of course, is common sense. No matter what your political bent, if a story serves only to reinforce your beliefs, it’s best to be extra skeptical before sharing it.

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Some stories, intentionally or not, read like satire. If it sounds like it could be a headline on the Onion, it’s best to double-check the story.

Also check the URL. If it has a strange ending, think twice about the story. An article claiming President Barack Obama banned the national anthem at US sporting events -- false, if you were wondering -- came from a website with the suffix “.com.de,” which makes no sense.

Finally, don’t trust a photograph. If you see a compelling photo and are just itching to share the story behind it, try this first:

Take a screenshot of the photo, cropping out everything but the image itself.
Open up Google Images in your browser.
Drag the screenshot into the Google Images search field.

Google will tell you its best guess as to who or what is pictured and where the image originated.

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Who’s writing this fake news?

According to a Buzzfeed story, young people in Macedonia created more than 100 pro-Trump websites to spread false news. The motive wasn’t political; it was to make money off your clicks.

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