News websites spreading false information
On Thursday, March 4, 2021, a news website called “Before It’s News” posted an article titled: “Navy Seals Arrest Hillary Clinton”. In said article, the author, from which we don’t have any information, implies that Hillary Clinton has been arrested on Tuesday night by the United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs following Trump’s orders. The article claims that Hillary was charged for “treason, destruction of government property, and aiding and abetting the enemy” and it ends by claiming that Trump (as if he is still the President) will send her to Guantanamo Bay to face a military tribunal for her crimes against America. Nevertheless, after inspecting deeper, it is clearly another case of “news sites” spreading erroneous information.
After doing a quick google search, there is no other article implying this narrative besides this one. This is the first cue that indicates the falsehood of this article, an event of this magnitude, would be all over the news and everyone would be talking about it.
Additionally, after doing some research about the reliability and bias of this website, we can corroborate that it’s not a valid and well-grounded source of information. According to Ad Fontes Media, a Colorado-based media watchdog organization mostly known for its Media Bias Chart and ratings of media sources in terms of political bias and reliability, the website from which I got the false article has a reliability of 5.24 (64 being the highest) and a bias of 30.69 (the neutral being 0)(Before it’s news bias and reliability). “Before It’s News” accepts articles from anyone around the world and it does not provide the reader with any type of sources in order for us to do our own research, making it a misleading source of information.
Therefore, we can confidently say that the article is false.
Thankfully, “Before It’s News” and many other fraudulent and inaccurate websites do not have more recognition or popularity. Even though, as we can see in the image showed above, the article had 376 shares, it did not create commotion like it has happened many times before. In modern times, the use of electronic sources of information and communication is increasing daily because of its many benefits, but it also leads to the fast-spreading of fake news and the causing of turmoil amongst people. We should start thinking more logically and stop believing everything we see or hear online. By doing our own research before communicating or posting false claims, we are doing our part in stopping the spread of untruthful events.
Sources:
Before It’s News Bias and Reliability. 10 Jan. 2021, www.adfontesmedia.com/before-its-news-bias-and-reliability/.
DD, Bob, et al. “NAVY SEALS ARREST HILLARY CLINTON: Blogging/Citizen Journalism: Before It’s News.” Before It’s News | People Powered News, 4 Mar. 2021, beforeitsnews.com/blogging-citizen-journalism/2021/03/navy-seals-arrest-hillary-clinton-2649892.html.
