Fake news. Alternative facts. Biased reporting. Propaganda. Media manipulation.
Whatever you call it, the American public largely believes that we’ve seen an uptick in misinformation and disinformation in recent years. According to a 2021 study, “56% of Americans agree with the statement that ‘Journalists and reporters are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.’"
As trust in the media is in a rapid free-fall, it is more important than ever to
Define fake news,
Determine who bears responsibility for fighting the spread of disinformation and misinformation, and
Describe how we, as journalists, will take action on this issue.
Defining the Issue
Fake news is false or distorted information disseminated in a manner that portrays it as fact.
In a post for TheBestSchools.org, Allison Frisch identified two sub-categories of fake news:
Misinformation (false information spread unknowingly)
Disinformation (false information spread knowingly)
Journalists and citizens can do considerable harm to reputations, fields of study and trust in the media when we spread untruths – whether or not we know that we are sharing fake news at the time.
“It’s Your Turn to Fix It!”
Although individuals need to take responsibility for what they share on social media, tech companies can take action to make fake news less accessible in the first place.
In a recent teachable moment, Carly Swanson suggested that tech companies could require consumers to take a media literacy test before accessing social media platforms and limit how much viral posts can be shared before they are fact-checked.
Companies could also restrict or ban accounts that continually violate platform guidelines or best practices. Additionally, they could refuse to monetize articles that use fake news as clickbait to drive up revenue from consumers.
The Fourth Estate Fights Back
Holding fast to the core principles of journalism is more important than ever in the era of fake news. Journalists must be willing to openly name when political leaders and public figures share false, biased or flawed information.
To stop fake news in its tracks,
Journalists must seek truth and report it, commit to accuracy, minimize harm, act independently and remain transparent about where, how and why they are finding and sharing information.
How do you think we should combat fake news? Tweet me @lizbierlymedia or let me know below!