These days we come across several news items, and it becomes really difficult to differentiate which one to trust.

A lot is going on on Social Media, and even text snippets are shared on WhatsApp and other networking websites, just to flair unrest in countries. 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation, where you are not sure if the news is real or fake?

Fortunately, there are a lot of ways by which you can avoid fake news, and even check the authenticity of news sources. In this article, we will explore how you can separate fake news from the truth.

What is a Fake News?
Fake news is false or misleading information presented as news. Fake news often has the aim of damaging the reputation of a person or entity or making money through advertising revenue.  Although false news has always been spread throughout history, the term "fake news" was first used in the 1890s when sensational reports in newspapers were common.

There are three kinds of fake news;

1. Stories that aren't true: These are entirely invented stories designed to make people believe something false, to buy a certain product, visit a certain website, or do something bad to someone.
    
2. Stories that have some truth, but aren't 100 percent accurate: For example, if some news website only quotes a part of the whole speech of what a politician was saying, which might give a false belief that the politician meant something else altogether.
   
   Now, this can be deliberate, to convenience readers of a certain viewpoint, or it can be the result of an innocent mistake. Either way, it will surely attract an audience and can become an urban myth.
    
3. Fact Manipulation: To confuse matters further, certain people claim that factually accurate stories are fake news, just because they don't agree with them or find them uncomfortable.

Where does fake news come from?
As we discussed earlier, fake news is not new, but what is new is how easily we can share information - both true and false - on a massive scale.

Social Networking websites allow almost anyone to publish their thoughts or share stories with the world. The trouble is that most people can't check the source of the material that they view online before they share it, which can lead to fake news spreading quickly or even going viral.

At the same time, it has become harder to identify the source of news stories, which can make it difficult to access their accuracy. Because of this, there are a lot of fake news websites out there.

But one cannot only blame websites and the internet for fake news. Even at our daily meetups in offices, or in colleges, there are some people sharing rumors about people and the countries or even politics.

What are the ways to differentiate fake news from real?
It is important to have critical thinking on whatever is shared with you. As an individual, we should not trust any news update or rumor. Separating fact from fiction accurately can seem tough. 

But getting to the truth is always worth the effort, as it might save someone's life.

1. Check the source of the content or information:
   If you have come across a piece of news or information that seems too good or bad to be real, do some digging. Check the web address for the page you are reading. Spelling errors in company names or strange-sounding extensions like ".zymc", ".rf.gd", etc may mean that the source is a suspect.
   
   Whether or not the author or publisher is familiar, stop to consider their reputation and professional experience. Are they known for their expertise on this matter?
   
   Be aware of the websites and people that spread fake news and alternative facts. They may also create fake website pages or mock news websites to make you believe that this is a genuine website and the news is true.
   
   For example, if someone is sharing a link that has "CNN" or "BBC" written, check for the original websites if they have a new website launched or not. Most of the time they have a single source of news.
    
2. Check for other sources of the same story:
   Is any other news website also picking up the topic? What do other sources say about this?
   
   Professional global news agencies have rigorous editorial guidelines and extensive networks of highly trained reporters, so are a good place to start. But no one is unbiased, and anyone can make a mistake, so keep verifying with multiple sources.
    
3. Don't trust every article that you receive on WhatsApp or Telegram or any other Instant Messaging Application:
   Now, this is important because there have been several occasions when people received a message and they acted on that information, and then there was chaos in different cities.
   
   There are bad people out there, who always want to make you angry about one thing or another, so you should ensure that you triple-check the facts that you receive on Instant Messaging Applications.
    
4. Check for the Evidence:
   If a website is known and popular and is trustworthy, it will have plenty of facts - quotes from experts, survey data, and official statistics. They will also have eyewitness records, and if these all things are missing, then you should question them.
    
5. Don't react to images and videos shared by friends or family members:
   Anyone can be mistaken when we talk about fake news and rumors. Therefore, even if a new, image, or video is shared by someone close, don't just react to it. Take some time and verify it.
   
   Modern editing software has made it easy for people to create fake images that look real, and these are so realistic that no one can tell if they are real or fake.
   
   You can use Google Image Search Service to check if an image is associated with the incident or not. Just upload the image on the above link and check the source of the image.
    
6. Use your common sense:
   Finally, use your common sense to check if a news feed is designed to feed your biases, hopes, or fears.
   
   For example, it is unlikely that your favorite actor is going to be available on his or her fan's birthday by just calling him or her "awesome".

Conclusion:
It is important to understand that the world is filled with different kinds of people, and hence some people want hatred to be spread so that they can profit from other people's misery.

It is in our hands, if we want to let them exploit us, or if we want to take authority into our hands to check the facts and believe in them.