Why fake news is a problem
Fake news- Why it is a problem?
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Ever since the introduction of social media platforms, fake news has spiralled out of control. With a click of a button, information, true or false, can be sent around the world. And whilst this can be used for good, it can also lead to the spreading of news that is filled with lies, deceit and outright false information, more commonly known today as Fake news.(Greg 2017) Fake news is a real and pressing problem. Not only does it result in people being misinformed but it can lead to extremes such as social chaos and propaganda.
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Fake news serves to influence people and try and shape their opinions- a dangerous form of propaganda. Our examples show that the spread of information that is knowingly false can have potentially deadly consequences.” Stories that are untrue and that intentionally mislead readers have caused growing mistrust among people. In some cases this mistrust results in incivility, protest over imaginary events, or violence.” (The Danger of Fake News in Inflaming or Suppressing Social Conflict | Center for Information Technology and Society - UC Santa Barbara)
What’s most worrying about fake news is that it draws peoples attention away from what really is going on in the world and what real problems they need to be aware of and change.
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Bibliography
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Fake news is dangerous | Rochester Business Journal. Available from: https://rbj.net/2018/03/29/fake-news-is-dangerous/ [Accessed November 14, 2018].
Greg, S. Fake News: As the Problem or a Symptom of a Deeper Problem? , p.12.
The Danger of Fake News in Inflaming or Suppressing Social Conflict | Center for Information Technology and Society - UC Santa Barbara. Available from: http://www.cits.ucsb.edu/fake-news/danger-social [Accessed November 14, 2018].
Consequences
With fake news filling our newsfeeds each day, soon it may be hard to distinguish between what is real and what is not. If the problem is not dealt with soon, society the way we know it will be changed. Recent outbursts of social unrest and panic have showcased the power of fake news in appealing and profiting on people’s emotions. It is a pressing problem as it poses a threat to democracy and a civilised world. (Fake news is dangerous | Rochester Business Journal).
