Warning: Fake!
During the #ResearchNotFake campaign month of May 2021, the ScienceCenter network, with the participation of numerous network partners, addressed this topic. St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences also participated, hosting an inspiring Chat in collaboration with the Digital Makers Hub. Experts discussed how science communication can support the ability to critically evaluate information. The university's podcast, "Campus Talk," covered the topics of "Automatic Fake News Detection," "Deepfakes," and "What to Do Against Conspiracy Theories."
The central conclusion of the campaign month: The phenomenon of "fakes on the internet" can be countered with an investigative, scientific approach—questioning and verifying information, checking plausibility and sources.
Sounds complicated in everyday life? Fortunately, not everyone has to do this themselves all the time. Many helpful resources are already available online.
Fact Checks
Since the beginning of 2020, the Austria Press Agency (APA) has offered its own fact-checking service. On the website https://apa.at/faktencheck/ueberblick/ you can find concise analyses of various claims circulating online, examining their veracity. The APA fact-checking team is certified by the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). The website https://www.mimikama.at/ also exposes widespread internet fake news and publishes information on the topic of fake news.
If no fact check is currently available for a particular topic, a quick, independent "sanity check" can often help:
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Who is disseminating the information? What is the reputation of the media outlet or the person? (Perhaps quickly search their name online!) - Note that even doctors or researchers working in other fields are not automatically COVID experts!
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In what context was the report posted? Does it seem plausible overall? Could the publishers have a vested interest in presenting a one-sided view?
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Are transparent sources and evidence provided? (It's a good idea to quickly assess the sources yourself – a peer-reviewed scientific article, a text from a reputable daily newspaper, or information published on a university website are, for example, significantly more trustworthy sources than the homepage of a private individual or a small association.)
This table, designed for classroom use, contains further useful tips for a quick, independent check: Link to table
Deepfake-Videos
In addition to text- or photo-based fake news, so-called deepfake videos are increasingly playing a role in the topic of (mis)information on the internet. These are videos – often deceptively realistic – in which computer algorithms project one person's face onto another person's body. All that's needed as "learning material" for the computer is sufficient photo or video material of the two individuals involved, a requirement that is usually met, especially for public figures.
But how should we deal with deepfake videos? It helps to be aware that even videos in which, for example, a person appears to perform a certain action or make a statement are not necessarily proof that this action or statement actually occurred. Otherwise, similar recommendations apply as for dealing with text messages and photos: Always ask questions: "Where does the video come from? Is the source plausible?" and look for fact checks.
Further links
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St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences "Campus Talk" podcast "How can you automatically detect fake news?"
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St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences "Campus Talk" podcast "How does a deepfake work?"
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St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences "Campus Talk" podcast "What to do against conspiracy theories"