Want to avoid fake news? Step away from Google

People are often deceived by the names of some online sources, not realising they are run by vested interests. (Image: Depositphotos)

Bloomberg

Sat, 20 Jan 2024

By FD FlamSearching for information has become instant and effortless – just go to your nearest device, ask Siri or click a few keys. But are we better informed than we were before Google became a verb? A new paper published in Nature hints that we’re not. When researchers exposed volunteers to a mix of fake and real news stories, they found people became more prone to being fooled by fake stories after being asked to do an internet search. That doesn’t negate the value of search engines, but as with all technology,...

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