- If you see supposed news articles that do not cite where the information came from, you should be skeptical.
- If you see a “news story” bearing the name of this website and/or its red and blue “Breaking News” logo, you can be certain that it is false.
- Also these posts may have a different visual style than the site they are imitating, or the wording may be unprofessional.
VICTORVILLE, Calif. — In the past week, we have seen a rise in fake news articles related to some of our schools. We are asking our students, staff and families to beware of false reporting and learn how to spot it.
Real news reporting originates from official sources, such as local law enforcement or the school district itself. If you see supposed news articles that do not cite where the information came from, you should be skeptical.
Also beware of reports from non-credible news sources. Look very carefully at the website name, as it may not be a real media outlet. Some of these fake news articles are being generated with the website Channel45News.com — a site that allows users to create “prank” articles. If you see a “news story” bearing the name of this website and/or its red and blue “Breaking News” logo, you can be certain that it is false.
Some fake news creators will doctor their posts to look like they come from a legitimate news outlet, but if you open a new browser window and search for the article on the website being imitated, you will find that it doesn’t exist. Also these posts may have a different visual style than the site they are imitating, or the wording may be unprofessional.
Generally speaking, look very closely at any news article you come across online. If the news is outlandish or spectacular, if it’s a news outlet you’ve never heard of, or if the look and feel of the article seem a little strange, be very skeptical and search for independent verification.
Some students circulate these reports and other inappropriate content using Apple’s AirDrop feature. The technology lets users share images from an Apple device directly to other Apple devices in the area.
We ask our students and parents to be aware of their iPhone or iPad’s AirDrop settings. Go to Settings > General > AirDrop and select “Contacts Only” or “Receiving Off” to avoid receiving unwanted content from strangers.
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