Yahoo News 
How to spot fake news about the election
When it comes to elections, it’s always worth checking the authenticity of a news story that seems somewhat unlikely, unexpected, or with little information to back it up.
Today, as Britons head to the polls, there have been numerous reports of ‘fake news’ – where false information is spread on social media in a bid to further a certain agenda.
Usually, it’s an attempt to sway voters to a certain political party by way of spreading false information, and it shouldn’t cloud your judgment.
Press Association journalist Alastair Reid noticed a fake profile on Twitter earlier – from a person who claimed to be a BBC reporter.
They tweeted that English Defence League supporters were attempting to stop people from entering polling stations, but it isn’t true.
This is basically fake account 101:
– Reverse image search profile pic
– Search for the name
– Check the join date
– Check for other reports pic.twitter.com/5YooOJFvgA— Alastair Reid (@ajreid) June 8, 2017
Reid then assembled this handy guide to spotting fake news – and there are some useful tips contained within.
Firstly, it’s worth doing a reverse image search on their profile picture to check its authenticity – as it may be a stock picture.
General Election 2017: The latest news and political analysis from Yahoo UK
It’s also important to search their name too, to see whether they work for the organisation that they claim to do.
Although somewhat more obvious, you should also check if they have a blue tick next to their name – to verify exactly who they claim to be.
The same is largely true for Facebook too. If the information you’re reading hasn’t been verified, it’s worth fact checking it – you could be otherwise misled.
Happy Election day!
