Fact-checks versus fake news:

Which origin has this message?

  1. Web
    1. Has this web document an imprint? What can be found out about these specified persons, companies....
    2. Checking the WHOIS database: who is listed as the owner / operator of the website / page? Does these informations fit with the imprint? What can be found out about the owner of the web document? (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whois)
    3. On the page: Is there an author mentioned? What can be found out about that author?
    4. Is it a very well known author on this subject? Any Wikipedia entries?
    5. Does the text contain facts which can be sifted? Other sources -not only internet- known and available?
    6. Does the writing style indicate if the text could be ironical?
    7. Does the author use a proper citation which can be sifted elsewhere?
    8. Is the argumentation logical and reasonable ?
  2. Facebook and other social nets or panels
    1. The message is not very believable if there is no real appearing authors name.
    2. Are there additional informations referring to this author's name?
    3. Can be verified if this name is real? Is the person reachable on other channels? Is it possible to speak with this person?
    4. Is there a verified Facebook profile? (https://www.facebook.com/help/196050490547892)
    5. Since when is this profile online?
    6. How many friends are listed in this profile? Can be found out anything about these profiles?
  3. Wikipedia
    1. Not everything which can be found on wikipedia is true!
    2. Check the history: Who wrote this at what time?
    3. Can be found out anything about these authors?
    4. Is there a special discussion page on wikipedia?
  4. E-Mails
    1. It's very easy to fake E-Mails or to manipulate accounts. => Fakemails.
    2. It' not easy to find out the origin and other facts of an e-mail. You may find some hints here: http://cert.uni-stuttgart.de/themen/spam/header.html
    3. It is very good and safe to use encrypted mails. Hints: https://www.heise.de/ct/artikel/Ausgebootet-289538.html
  5. Pictures an videos
    1. Check out the image background. Landscape, buildings, cars with their registration numbers, persons and clothes. Does this fit together? Does it fit with the text?
    2. Could be find similar pictures with an reverse-image-search (provided by image search engines)?
    3. Open the image file with a graphic application: are their metadatas inside the image and do they fit with the image content?
  6. There is a "Fake News Check"-App for the smartphone which considers very subjective and emotional issues.
  7. There's no such thing as absolute security against fakes.