Spreading Fake News
There has been a lot of talk about how made-up stories can end up influencing the real world, and many agree that that’s a real problem. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than viruses. This is called an “infodemic.”
But did you know that it is not a new one? We can see evidence dating back thousands of years of leaders, artists and historians bending the truth to make themselves look good, or to tell a better story. During the First and Second World Wars, governments on both sides would exaggerate to make their enemies look bad. As the 20th century went on and TV joined the newspaper and radio, journalism ethics evolved. But that doesn’t mean fake news went away.
Then came the Internet, and things got a little more complicated. All of a sudden, anyone could be a publisher. With so much information out there, it could be hard to know what to believe. Social media has made things worse by letting us share stories without making it clear where they came from or if the source is reliable. Plus, we are more likely to believe them when they are shared by our trusted friends.
Then how can we spot the fake news? Let’s discuss this topic next.
There has been a lot of talk about how made-up stories can end up influencing the real world, and many agree that that’s a real problem. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than viruses. This is called an “infodemic.”
But did you know that it is not a new one? We can see evidence dating back thousands of years of leaders, artists and historians bending the truth to make themselves look good, or to tell a better story. During the First and Second World Wars, governments on both sides would exaggerate to make their enemies look bad. As the 20th century went on and TV joined the newspaper and radio, journalism ethics evolved. But that doesn’t mean fake news went away.
Then came the Internet, and things got a little more complicated. All of a sudden, anyone could be a publisher. With so much information out there, it could be hard to know what to believe. Social media has made things worse by letting us share stories without making it clear where they came from or if the source is reliable. Plus, we are more likely to believe them when they are shared by our trusted friends.
Then how can we spot the fake news? Let’s discuss this topic next.