When a warning-list of fake news sites gathered online attention on Tuesday, it nearly broke the Internet.
The comprehensive list of “false, misleading, clickbait-y, and satirical ‘news’ sources,” compiled by a journalism professor, Melissa Zimdar, was prompted by the growing public outrage over phony sites influencing voters and elections.
While Facebook and Google struggle to form an adequate response, Brian Feldman of New York Magazine has created an extension for Google Chrome users that will create a pop-up in your browser warning whenever you have entered one of the sites on Zimdars’ list.
Here’s Feldman explaining his motivations:
“ … corporations are loath to enter the politically tricky territory of determining the legitimacy of a given news outlet.
But as we enter a fraught period of American life, it’s important to make sure you (and your friends and relatives) can at least avoid being snookered by hoax, satire, fake, and just plain incompetent news sites. For people who might not be the most media-literate, here (see below) is a handy browser extension I put together this afternoon, based on media studies professor Melissa Zimdars’ list of unreliable or misleading websites. It works like this: If you visit a URL known for producing non-news in news-like packages, you get a pop-up alert warning you. That’s it!
Zimdar, relying upon colleagues and librarians, formed the list and is already revising it. As of Wednesday night, she had removed seven sites, at least temporarily, as more information flows in. Users of the list can count on updates and alterations.
Zimdar offers this caution: “I do not condone plug-ins that automatically block any of the websites listed … and as a reminder, not all of the sources listed … should be considered fake.” They include highly partisan sites and satire sites like The Onion.
To add the extension, click here. It takes less than a minute.
Feldman is also working on ways to add the extension, without a lot of technical steps, to Firefox ad Safari.
