1Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Jammu and Kashmir
2Independent Researcher, R/o Chadoora Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir
Fake news refers to incorrect information that is presented as news, whether on social media or through mainstream media. The rising prevalence of fake news, particularly with the advent of social media, underscores the need for effective fact-checking. Fact-checking is a process involving the verification of facts and debunking fake information.
The current study aims to analyse the working style of fact-checking sites in India. Fact-checking dissects stories into elements to determine their factual accuracy. It focuses on reading the channels through which false news is disseminated.
The selected sample consists of four distinct websites based in India, namely AltNews and BoomLive, TheQuint (Webqoof) and The Logical Indian. The study analyses 805 stories from the sample sites. The data analysed provides an insight into how fake news is debunked. It has been found that fake news outweighs genuine news, for consumption of viral content is more.
The biggest reason behind this is people's shortened attention span. Those spreading fake news exploit this vulnerability. Besides, mainstream media nowadays picks ups news from social media, which is a hub of fake news. Fact-checkers have consistently debunked such cases. Much like traditional news reporting, the fact-checking process is guided by news values and ethics.
Disinformation, Fake News, Fact-Checking, Misinformation, Verification
