Short Courses

2020-09-25 Images, scams and hoaxes, Part 07 – Fake News: Fact and Fiction

Images, scams and hoaxes

Sometimes we see an image that looks so real, but something in the back of our minds tells us not to trust it. With technological advances, images are easier to edit and change that ever before. The next time a meme or image goes viral, maybe you should think twice before sharing it.

Key vocabulary

to manipulate …

  • an image: to edit it in order to mislead.
  • emotions: to influence the way people feel without their knowing

to be pedantic
to insist on high standards of accuracy 

to be a stickler for
eg: accuracy / the rules
to expect a high standard in those areas

a con / a scam
a dishonest plan to trick people get money from them.

con artists / scammers
the people who try to trick people to get their money

phishing
a type of scam which tries to trick people to give away their banking details

a hoax 
a plot to try and make people believe something that isn’t true

BBC Learning English

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