Fake news can sway elections, tank economies and sow discord in everyday life. Data scientist Sinan Aral demystifies how and why it spreads so quickly -- citing one of the largest studies on misinformation -- and identifies five strategies to help us unweave the tangled web between true and false.

Fake news does not only disrupt society but also economy and the deep roots of democracy. Sometimes, their impact can even be measured in terms of people killed by the misinformation that it’s spread around. Sinan Aral, a scientist, entrepreneur and investor with a PhD in IT economics, applied econometrics and statistics, has run some of the la...