How to tell ‘fact’ from ‘fake’, according to GMA reporter Joseph Morong

Whether you identify as yellow, brown, red, purple, or glittering gold, somewhere along the way, you've found yourself doubting a headline and feeling suspicious of the information you see, especially on social media.

Veteran reporter Joseph Morong, a McLuhan Fellowship awardee, will be tackling this widespread phenomenon referred to as "fake news" in the digital platform where it matters most.

As one of the leading media outfits in the country, GMA is creating pioneering content for digital natives, paying particular attention to millennials.

Joseph Morong introduces his new show, “Fact or Fake” pic.twitter.com/8LGFXfd90B

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"Fact or Fake with Joseph Morong" is one of the three shows GMA Public Affairs is launching in 2018 as part of GMA ONE Online Exclusive, and on its first episode, Morong will discuss the definition of fake news and its history.

During the press launch for the show on Wednesday, Morong explained that fake news hinges on "intention to lie and to masquerade as the truth" and is different from mistakes, misinformation, and disinformation.

He added that this is not a new development. Clickbait, for example, is just the online version of attention-grabbing headlines.

As a primer, here are some quick tips on how to tell fact from fake:

1. When the headline is sensationalized. If the headline sounds like it's being yelled out loud by a strange person running in the street, Morong said, stay skeptical.

2. Mimicking. There are websites that look completely legitimate because they imitate the layout, the logo, and even the url of actual news outfits. Take the extra step to check the official website. For GMA News, it's gmanetwork.com/news.

Remember that logos can be edited into anything, so verify the information from official sources!

3. Lack of by-line. Established news organizations publish articles that include a by-line or the name of the journalist who wrote the article. This is done for accountability — something that propagators of fake news don't want to face, which is why they might omit their names from articles or use a pseudonym.

Morong emphasized that everyone is susceptible to fake news and even people who believe themselves to be discerning need to be cautious.

"Fact or Fake" tackles a very controversial topic and Morong admits that he feels the pressure to promote good content — but he hopes that the program is able to demystify fact-checking and help the public understand the importance of being discerning in the information age. — LA, GMA News

"Fact or Fake with Joseph Morong" premieres on 5 p.m., January 1, 2018 along with "Adulting with Atom Araullo" and "#Goals with Gabbi Garcia" exclusively on YouTube