We explain what hoaxes are and why they are a serious problem for Internet users. Also, how to detect a hoax?
What is a hoax?
On the Internet, false news is known as hoax, hoax or fake news, that is, a trying to make people believe that something false is real relying on half-truths, doctored photographs or photographs from another source, or misrepresentations.
It is distinguished from fraud in that it does not yield material gain of any kind for its creators, but rather seeks to be replicated and distributed through all possible channels. And it can also be distinguished from rumor, which is credible information from unverifiable sources.
The term hoax comes from English and means “farce,” and became popular in online culture when attempts to trick users through fraudulent emails became common. Nowadays, it is common to find them in forums, social networks or massive environments information exchange.
Studies by the Association of Internet Users of Spain, a non-profit association that protects the rights of Internet users, warn that 70% of those who use the Internet are not able to distinguish between a hoax and true information.
This denotes a paradoxical problem that has arisen within the framework of information massification technologies: being in contact with more information does not translate into being more informed, unless there is a way to discern between what is true, what is possible and what is obviously false. , that is, a source of legitimacy of the information.
See also: Virtual communities
How to detect a hoax?
Most hoaxes adhere to the following guidelines or structures:
- are anonymous They lack reliable sources of information, they have no authorship, they do not cite any text and they are not endorsed by anyone.
- have no context They lack a publication date and other recognizable marks (place, etc.), and are written in a timeless, universal way that guarantees their credibility and survival on the Internet for as long as possible.
- are written in neutral They do not usually have linguistic or dialectal marks, as they target the widest possible audience.
- are sensational Hoaxes do not transmit everyday information, but rather they promise to reveal some secret truth (so secret that it is available on the Internet), a magic trick, a million-dollar piece of information or some other confidence that generates morbidity, fear or indignation in the reader, and they often coerce share the information to “make it known” or as the only way to protect the person who receives it (for example: “Send this message to 10 friends or you will have years of bad luck” or “Send this email to all your contacts and you will participate in a millionaire draw).
Hoax on social networks
Social networks and messaging services are a frequent way of receiving hoaxes which never come from anyone but aspire to be replicated by everyone. The characteristics of the previous point are repeated in them and the best way to combat them is simple: not replicating them.
Do not spread unreliable information to contacts who, after all, trust the connection they have with us (and therefore are more receptive to information).
