Fake news is effective because of a number of causes that often act in conjunction with each other, amplifying its effectiveness especially on those unaccustomed to using critical thinking and insight.
Fake news does not seem to be fake news mainly because it exploits the weaknesses of human psychology and, now more than ever, the characteristics of the digital world.
Let us summarize some obvious why some people believe in fake news:
They appeal to emotions
- Fake news often arouses strong emotions such as fear, anger or surprise, prompting people to share information without verifying it.
- Strong emotions can cloud critical thinking, making people more vulnerable to manipulation.
They manifest as confirmation “bias” (we explain the meaning of bias below with this symbol *)
- People tend to believe information that confirms their preexisting beliefs.
- Fake news that aligns with a person’s opinions is more likely to be accepted as true, even if it is false.
They can usually rely on the speed of online dissemination
- Social media and online platforms allow fake news to spread quickly and widely.
- The virality of fake news can create an illusion of consensus, making it appear that a piece of news is widely accepted as true.
They act on those who are lacking in media literacy
- Many people lack the skills to critically evaluate sources of information.
- Lack of media literacy makes people more susceptible to falling victim to fake news.
They manage to fool social media algorithms
- Social media algorithms are designed to show users content they find interesting.
- Sensationalistic and polarizing fake news often generates high engagement, which leads algorithms to promote it further.
They are disseminated using the simple but effective technique of repetition
- Repeating fake news over and over again can lead people to believe it.
This phenomenon is due to the fact that familiarity with a piece of news, can make it seem more true.
* What is a “bias”?
Imagine having a pair of “special” glasses that do not change colors, but tend to make you see things in a certain way, even if it is not exactly of how they are in reality.
A bias is just like wearing these kinds of glasses at the time you think or make decisions. These kinds of (invisible) glasses lead you to favor a certain idea, person, thing, or interpret information in a specific way, even though there is not enough evidence to do so.
In even simpler words:
- A bias is a “bias” in your mind, which is not always negative, but can cause you to make mistakes or have opinions that are not quite correct.
- A bias makes you “lean” to one side for no real good reason. It’s as if a scale in your head is a little off balance.
- A bias often occurs automatically, without you noticing it. It is a “fast” way for your brain to interpret the world, which, however, is sometimes a speed comes at the expense of accuracy.
Biases occur in various situations. For example:
- Confirmation bias: If you believe that cats are smarter than dogs, you will tend to notice and remember more examples of smart cats and ignore those of smart dogs. Your “special” glasses will make you see only what confirms your idea.
- Availability Bias: If you have just seen a news report about many plane crashes, you may start to think that flying is more dangerous than driving a car, even though statistically this is not true. The “available” information in your mind will influence your perception of risk.
- Similarity Bias: You may tend to trust more and prefer people who are similar to you (in nationality, tastes, etc.), even if you have no other specific reason to do so. Your “special” glasses will make you see people who are similar to you in a more positive way.
Thus, a bias is a “shortcut”-often unconscious- by our mind to process information, which can lead us to judgments or decisions that are not always objective or rational and otherwise “convenient.”
It must be said that refuting and commenting on such news is difficult and complex precisely because, dismantling a repeated fake over time and spread virally, forces one to repeatedly bring to bear expertise, knowledge and scientific evidence that those who spread fake news do not intend to consider and often even do not know about at all
In Italy it is said that there is none so deaf as those who will not hear, but we believe that this is a widespread fault all over the world.
We can add that those who spread fake news actually believe that what is fake news is instead the truth, thus generating short-circuits in information that generate repeated confusion especially in the uninformed population unaccustomed to delving deeper
That being said, since we are in the business of unraveling fake news affecting the intensive professional poultry industry and disseminating correct information about it, in the link at the bottom of this article we critically comment on some of the latest statements extracted from the various emailed and otherwise circulated on the web by CIWF (one of the most active anti-farming animal organizations).
You will read in the paper their claims refuted by our insights from various experts in the poultry industry (veterinarians, technicians, breeders, …). we do this to emphasize how exactly their claims fall into the techniques that allow fake news not to seem like fake news.
Quality of life for chickens: what it’s like and how CIWF tells the story
