Aarav Sethi

Combating Fake News

Started Jan. 12, 2024

Abstract or project description

Fake news presents a significant problem in today’s online landscape - it influences trust and public opinion in many media outlets. With the mass usage of social media and live news, many people are prone to misinformation due to many psychological and environmental factors. Previous case studies have demonstrated that the effects can be very disastrous. Many people are also abusing new technological advancements to carry out their malicious intentions. However, there have been many fruitful efforts using human intelligence and these new technologies to mitigate this threat, but there is still more that people can learn and apply to fully stop the spread of fake news. Within the past decade, there has been a surge in the use of social media apps such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, etc. This drastic increase in social media activity has also led to an unanticipated amount of information being introduced and spread widely among users. Due to the massive size of these apps, however, fake news has found solid platforms to feed many with misleading information. People responsible for deceptive content have adapted to measures meant to reduce fake news and have found new, more dynamic ways to spread it. Since the consequences of fake news can reach dangerous heights, there is a crucial need for a consistent and efficient solution to this epidemic. Innovative use of technology and analysis can play a key role. This paper sheds light on the complex challenge of online misinformation, analyzing notable case studies and reviewing existing detection methods. Furthermore, this paper examines psychological factors that make people susceptible to fake news online, discusses various measures to reduce its impact, and gives particular attention to deepfakes as an example of modern technology used for deception.