Abstract

The phenomenon of fake news has received increasing attention over the last decade, especially with the rise of the internet and social media. Fake news is misleading information that intentionally or unintentionally spreads false or misleading facts. The main purpose of fake news is to influence public opinion and create confusion. Typical areas of application include political systems, the economic sphere, health, social and demographic processes such as migration. The reasons for creating fake news may include malicious intent, lack of information, possession of incorrect information, propaganda or humor, among many other reasons.

Statistics and analytical methods are important tools in the fight against fake news. Statistical data are often targets for manipulation, as information based on numbers can appear more credible to the public. Yet, the use of statistical methods allows the detection of fake news and the verification of the credibility of information, for example, through data mining techniques, machine learning algorithms, models or data comparison. Correct interpretation of data is critical to identify and refute false information.

Transparency and accessibility of statistical data and the development of critical thinking through the education system are also key in the fight against fake news. Empowering people to interpret data correctly and to distinguish reliable sources from fake ones contributes to a better understanding of our world and more transparency in mass communication.

With the purpose of opening up the exe of the public against fake news, we have developed an interactive session where participants are presented with various human or AI-generated news, charts and data, which they have to decide whether they are real news or fake news. Participants are also asked to justify why they think the news item is fake or not. After sharing their opinions, the session leader will reveal the solution, and then the data and potential takeaways are discussed.

In our presentation, in addition to the introduction of the structure and design of this session, an interactive demonstration takes place involving the audience. Our experience with high school and university students is that participants do not always question what they have seen or heard, but rather take it for granted, even if it is fake news. The decision on the credibility of the news is strongly influenced by prior knowledge of the topic, the source of the news, and the attitudes of the participants.