Fake news became a global phenomenon during the US presidential election race of 2016, but it was around long before then.

It has been around for centuries and is a type of propaganda tool used to spread hoaxes and disinformation. The rise of fake news correlates with the increase in technology as more stories can reach more people within minutes. Today it rules supreme on social media and the internet and has even found its way into traditional broadcast and print media, becoming a part of daily news and political reports.

You can filter through news by thinking critically about the information, assessing how reliable the source is, fact-checking and researching. This way, you will be able to use your discretion to decide whether you’re going to believe the information being fed to you.

Explore the list of 13 facts about fake news here.