What You Need to Know about Online Hoaxes

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Alan Martin Technology journalist and former editor
Guide

This week's free online safety guide focuses on the Online Hoaxes. The guide takes a look at how to tackle a range of potential risks such as spreading disinformation, taking dangerous advice and teaches you how to encourage critical thinking.

A free online safety guide on Online Hoaxes.

Online hoaxes are fictional stories circulated online, frequently intended to shape people’s beliefs or opinions. They have been around as long as the internet itself. Older more basic and transparent hoaxes have been replaced with something far more believable. Nowadays, anyone can put together a believable looking photo, video or website in hours and minutes, rather than days and weeks. Combined with the speed at which social media operates, this allows online hoaxes to flourish.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as spreading disinformation, taking dangerous advice and teaches you how to encourage critical thinking.