Joke or news? — Fact-Check Room · Free Press
Readers keep sending the Mossville Gazette funny headlines and asking 'Is this real?'. Some come from a joke website that says so on its About page.
Your task
Sort each headline: a joke (satire) or a news report from our invented town?
- Satire uses made-up, exaggerated stories to make people laugh or think. It is fine as a joke, but a problem when someone shares it as if it were true.
- Invented newsrooms and stories to learn from, not real news. Before sharing anything about real people, ask a trusted adult.
- Never share private details of anyone. Nothing about you is collected.
Score
- How news works — You understood how this part of journalism works.
- Truth & accuracy — You checked the facts before telling them.
- Fair & kind — You were fair to the people in the story.
In real life
Satire has a long history in newspapers and magazines. Fact-checkers often explain when a joke story starts being shared as real news.
Fact-Check Room
Invented stories and newsrooms to learn from, not real news. Ask a trusted adult before sharing anything about real people. Nothing about you is collected; progress stays on this device.
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