“A lie can travel around the world while the truth is putting on its boots.” That saying dates back more than 200 years, but it’s still relevant today. Given the speed and reach of the internet, misinformation now travels faster than ever.
In one study, researchers in Massachusetts analyzed 126,000 stories shared as “news” by millions of Twitter users over 11 years. They found that true reports took six times as long as false stories to reach the same number of people. And falsehoods were 70 percent more likely to be retweeted.
Why? One reason may be fake content’s head-turning appeal. False stories are usually more sensational, scary, or amusing than factual accounts, the researchers say.
This cartoon comments on how facts and false information appear on the internet. It uses analogy: a comparison of two things that emphasizes their similarities or differences. Study the cartoon, then answer the questions.