Final answer:
The main argument of the article is that crowdsourced evaluations may be a useful technological intervention to mitigate the impact of fake news by enabling the public to assess the credibility of online news sources. The increasing reliance on digital sources for news has shifted focus from traditional media, raising questions about the quality and trustworthiness of the information consumed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The article "The Biggest Consumers of Fake News May Benefit from This One Tech Intervention" argues that crowdsourced ratings might be an effective tool for combating the spread of fake news. It emphasizes the challenge many face in discerning credible sources from unreliable ones, especially on social media platforms.
A key example provided is the morning routine of a person who selects news stories that confirm their pre-existing beliefs. One suggested intervention is deliberate crowd-based evaluation of news quality, which, according to research cited in the article, can be a promising method for assessing the trustworthiness of online news content.
The rise in digital news consumption, as reported by the Pew Research Center, from 24% in 2004 to 39% in 2012, illustrates a shift away from traditional print, radio, and television news. This transition has wide-ranging implications for how news is consumed and the reliability of information. The four-step analysis mentioned in the article could provide a systematic approach to evaluating such shifts in media consumption.