Student Union
Are You a Victim of Fake News?
American Politic News
The Hill
The Hill is the real news site. American Politic News is the fake news site! Politifact describes it as "a largely sensational website that post stories with shocking headlines that don't always add up."
The traditional name for fake news is propaganda. Dictionary.com defines propaganda as "information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc." and "the deliberate spreading of such information, rumors, etc.," and "the particular doctrines or principles propagated by an organization or movement."
Satire: Fake New's Funny Cousin
Satire news sites are also something that one has to watch out for. Satire is "a way of using humor to show that someone or something is foolish, weak, bad, etc. : humor that shows the weaknesses or bad qualities of a person, government, society, etc," according to Merriam-Webster.
This is an example of satire from The Onion, one of the most well-known satire sites.
Satire is not meant to mislead like fake news is, but it can sometimes be confusing!
Real or Satire is a website where a URL can be put into a search engine that will tell you if the website you are looking at is satire or not, from the database of satire websites they've compiled.
Detecting Fake News
A Google Doc of "False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical 'News' Sources" was compiled by Melissa Zimdars, an assistant professor of communication at Merrimack College in Massachusetts. However, the LA Times reported that Zimdars took the list down as a "safety measure in response to threats and harassment," but plans on eventually releasing the list in another format.
However, some websites took issue with Zimdars's original list before it was taken down, because she included aggregate sites. Kira Davis, a reporter for RedState, (one of the listed aggregators), said that "RedState writers go to great lengths to debunk false stories they find in the media," and it is in no way a fake or misleading news site.
Davis isn't the only one with a problem with the list. She cites Mediate's Alex Griswold's tweet, illustrating the dilemma and confusion about what should be considered real or fake.
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Beyond the controversial attempt at a list of sites, there is still a document Zimdar created with some solid tips on how to analyze news sources.
Some of Zimdars tips include:
- Watching if reputable news sources are reporting on the same story.
- Check the "About Us" tab on their website, or use Snopes or Wikipedia to find background information on the source.
- "Odd domain names generally equal odd and rarely truthful news."
- Bad web design or all caps writing means you should verify what you're reading.
- If the story makes you really angry, Zimdar says, "It’s probably a good idea to keep reading about the topic via other sources to make sure the story you read wasn’t purposefully trying to make you angry."
Media Platforms Fight Back Against Fake News
Politico reported that both Google and Facebook are going to ban fake news sites from using their advertising platforms.
This news comes after Google and Facebook were criticized for distributing fake news during the 2016 election that critics say impacted the outcome.
In 2016, Oxford Dictionary named the word of the year: "post-truth."
Do you know what is real and what is fake news? Comment here and share your thoughts on our Facebook page, thanks!
This story was originally published on November 25, 2016.
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US reviews Columbia University contracts, grants over antisemitism allegations
The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.
Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.
The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.
"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.
The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.
"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."
The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.
Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.
College protests
Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.
Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.
During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.
While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.
A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.
Canada’s immigration overhaul signals global shift in student migration
From Europe to North America, nations are tightening their immigration policies. Now Canada, long seen as one of the world's most welcoming nations, has introduced sweeping changes affecting international students. The reforms highlight a growing global trend toward more restrictive immigration policies. Arzouma Kompaore reports from Calgary.
