“Fake news” is not limited to a singular definition. Different people interpret this phrase in different ways. Generally, they debate the influence and role of media in society.
Some say “that the prominence of fake news in elite discourse is problematic for democracy,” while others express indifference about news organizations’ employment of this phrase to “combat negative perceptions” about media. A third group, which drives those perceptions into the public consciousness, promotes media nihilism (accusations of fake news that distort truth or reality) due to their own fears and misconceptions.
Media nihilism impedes people’s ability to separate fact from fiction, leading to a decline of public trust in the Fourth Estate. This has given rise to post-truth politics.
But the facts do matter, even if they don’t hit people’s emotional buttons.
What is Fake News?
Definitions provided by Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary accurately assert that fake news stories are intentional fabrications of reality. These fabrications might be lined with kernels of truth and can easily spread online. They are sensational news stories that appear credible.
Fake news creators spread content maliciously to generate revenue from online advertising, achieve political gain and (positively or negatively) influence public perception.
Taking Responsibility
Everyone has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation—deceiving news stories—and disinformation—fabrications spread with the intent to deceive—online.
Although journalists and the public have a role to play in slowing the spread of fake news, monopolistic tech companies can and need to tackle the mis/disinformation debacle. As tech giant whistleblowers emerge to reveal the extent of which their employers neglect the public interest, it is important to acknowledge the multifaceted impacts of social media.
Tech companies’ ultimate goal—profit—is obscuring their ability to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation. At the same time, journalists and educators alike should promote media literacy. Journalists especially need to be transparent and be critical of content that they interact with on social media. In a sense, they can serve as role models for the public at large by reducing the visibility of mis/disinformation.
Consumers should strive to be media activists—people who take an active role in their news consumption practices.
To learn more about media activism, visit fair.org.
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