REAL VS FAKE

The internet is honestly magical. Phones, especially smartphones, have the power to answer any question your heart desires, and from the comfort of your pocket! But the problem with the realm of the World Wide Web is… Not everything you read is accurate.

It seems that what many people do not realize is anyone can take advantage of this power, and tell bogus stories that many people can mistake for factual. This includes Vox, Huffington Post, and The Onion, and it’s the Onion that will be focused on today.

Photo source: theonion.com

Now, for those who don’t know about what The Onion is, it is a news satire website. The site covers local, as well as international news. If you notice the websites motto, it already gives you a lie from the get go, “America’s Finest News Source,” this is a subtle way of throwing the kitchen sink. My question is this: would you believe a site called The Onion could really have the “finest sources”? Of course not, and the creators of The Onion were awareness of this. Admitting that this had not originally been a site to take seriously to begin with.

“Two college students founded the fake news organization, which began as a newspaper in Madison, Wis. “It really started as something very local that was intended mainly to … sell pizza coupons,” Editor-in-Chief Will Tracy tells Morning Edition host Renee Montagne…” -NPR.com

Need an example of The Onion’s factious ways? No problem. An article from Aug. 2017, was posted to The Onion’s website, detailing the death of WWE star, Big Show. The only problem is that Big Show was alive and fine. The article is a parody of the controversial shooting of the Gorilla, Harambe. photo source: theonion.com

The Onion is for entertainment. The creators, writers, and readings (we hope so) know that this website should not be taken seriously. There is even a survey on YouTube on The Onion’s accuracy: The Onion: Real or Fake News?

If you want to read from news outlets that back up their sources, then you can look to sites such as MSNBC, New York Times, and CBS.

Forbes has rated New York Times as #1 in most influential and factual. and is the 18th in the world by circulation.

Its editorial page and some of its news coverage take a left-leaning, progressive view of the world. But the NYT also hews to ethical standards of reporting and the classic elements of journalism in America. – Forbes

New York Times has been around since 1851, and launched their website in 1996. Writers of The New York Times have won countless Pulitzer Awards. Check it out if curious, it’s quite interesting to see award winners since 1918.

So in conclusion, the internet is a wonderful place. Reading the news and informing one’s self is amazing. But always make sure to be careful and to always find those backed up sources and references.