You may have found out about those metered strikes that never happen. Or the fact some islands on the planet can only exist for ten years roughly before being submerged by global warming, nevertheless they still exist fifty per cent of a century later. While global warming may be a threat, are we getting fake survival warnings to organize 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 main topic of fake news has gained a wider audience following the 2016 US election, fake news has still had a worrisome effect on us.
Fake news is not really a recent phenomenon and has existed for quite a while but its impact has be widespread with the spread of the web 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 world 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 has the capacity to sow the seeds of confusion in the minds of both most people whose support is necessary to implement changes to save lots of the environment as well as your decision makers who have the responsibility of creating decisions which even when painful are necessary to avoid further environmental damage.
In this scenario it is necessary that scientists intensify their efforts for wider dissemination of correct and factual data so that folks be science literate and can appreciate facts as 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 only if scientific literature and discoveries get a wider audience.
The misinformation campaigns and deliberately leaked fake news and controversies have led to a situation where polls both in the US and UK reveal that although a large most scientists agree to the fact climate change phenomenon of the modern era is essentially fueled Naijanews by human activities, the general populace is not conscious of 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.
A change of habits is needed. Inside their quest of wider dissemination of correct and factual data, scientists must change their long ingrained habit of sharing information on the list of scientific community as their prime objective and instead must develop the habit of sharing their information not just with the scientific community but with most people also.
Inside their pursuit of disseminating scientific information scientists must use assistance from latest technological tools so they are able to develop effective way of two-way communication with the general public. The brand new interdisciplinary field of translational ecology will help scientists work towards changing environmental research into public policy.
Turning the current scenario into one where society understands and appreciates their standpoint and has the capacity to ascertain and understand the details about climate change is vital if environmental issues are to get widespread support throughout the world. One of many ways through which we are able to support the growth of scientific temper is to know what fake news is and trying to avoid it from spreading.
What is fake news? From the time ancient times, rulers have indulged in slanting and planting news to serve their interests. But giving a slant to a news to accommodate one’s beliefs or ideology can’t be called fake news. Fake news can be referred to as a totally fabricated story without the basis that’s been floated by vested interests to serve their very own purpose.
We are also at fault! Today with the advent of the web everyone from someone to media to government have a share in the spread of fake news although their motives to do so can vary greatly from increasing political clout, to achieving financial goals or any personal agenda. But how to know whether the news headlines is genuine or fake?
In sifting for fake news, consider the origins of the news. If it’s carried by the best source of news odds are so it won’t be fake but when it’s originated from sources you have not heard of or are regarded as of dubious nature then you definitely must take such news with a touch of salt and verify it from the known authentic source before you begin believing it. The absolute most obvious solution for checking the spread of fake news is human intervention. Technology alone cannot sift and segregate fake news. Realizing this dimension Facebook has begun such a practice and has enlisted International Fact Checking Network to appear into that news that users have flagged as deliberate fakes.
Stopping the spread of fake news, you yourself must begin to take responsibility of that which you share. Do not share anything on the social networking without starting the detail of the story or the photograph. Check the foundation of the story or the photo you need to circulate and only if they result from some reputable sources in case you share them.