Social media networks allow us to communicate with each other regularly, exchange information with our friends and followers and receive the latest news almost immediately. However, recently the abuse of social media is becoming worse: as more politicians use it to control public opinion and therefore creating a rising danger for democracy. Studies suggest that social media is the number one battleground for dirty politics, ranging from Russia, where a high number of highly active Twitter accounts are bots, to Taiwan, where a movement against the President included thousands of highly organized but not entirely automated accounts spreading Chinese mainland propaganda. We leave our digital footprints all over social media and the web with every swipe, like and follow. Furthermore, the technology that leverages our online habits combined with the influence of big data and artificial intelligence is a perfect opportunity for computational propaganda. Automated bots that make extremely fast calculations provide individuals with targeted misinformation and spread it across social media and their communities as mentioned earlier.
However, politics are not the only area affected by misleading information. The latest crisis of Covid-19 was also largely influenced by the dissemination of fake information. The false information generated tons of conspiracy theories that created a possible danger for society. For example, misleading information promoted fake goods and services, such as fake COVID-19 tests and vaccinations. Moreover, they promoted a false sense of security with inaccurate information about treatments and promoted distrust of official guidelines. These are only a few examples of the significant impact that fake news can have. But how can we avoid that danger in the future and break the fake news chain? Here are some suggestions from my side. If you have come across fake information, do not engage with them in any way. Instead of commenting which will just help make the post more popular try to report them if possible. Further, I would suggest to only trust reputable websites. The key is to be mindful and use your common sense in order to avoid getting tricked by misleading information.
What is your take on Fake news? Any suggestions on how to avoid them?
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/08/03/the-dangerous-art-of-social-media-and-messaging-manipulation/#4ef9a3963f69
https://researchguides.austincc.edu/c.php?g=612891&p=4258046
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/19/twitter-admits-far-more-russian-bots-posted-on-election-than-it-had-disclosed
Hi Timby, I enjoyed reading your blog!
I would say fake news are specifically problematic in democratic systems as there is a huge debate on how to spot fake news without losing the benefits of digital media. In my opinion, we can only success if governments, businesses, and consumers work together to solve these problems. Governments should encourage strong and trustworthy journalism. The news industry must be careful on providing high-quality journalism (also to gain the trust of public) and correct fake news. Companies can invest in technologies that identify fake news. And lastly, we as individuals should not only stick to one news resource and be skeptical of what we see.
Do you agree?
Hi Timby,
Thank you for this contribution. It’s an interesting topic to discuss. By reading your post I have some questions that arise. I would not have clear cut answers to your question but I do have more questions that arise. I am drawn to, what are reputable websites that we can trust? The political parties that influence social media channels may well influence other news platforms such as magazines, websites and even ‘official news channels’ by putting in large sums of subsidies for steering research and development. Without providing clear answer to your ending question I think some regulations must be put in place. Moreover, if CEOs of large social media platforms are sitting at the same table in Brussels with influential politicians, how can we distinguish true from fake news?
Best regards,
Noud
Thank you Timby for this very interesting article,
fake news and disinformation campaigns are, without a doubt, becoming an ever-greater issue in modern times. The enormous amount of people connected through social networks, the abundance of fake or misleading information, the vast resources spent in misinformation campaigns, and the capacity to targeting specific vulnerable citizens represent one of the greatest threats to democracy. It is of paramount priority that the public sector, media outlets and individual citizens cooperate to alleviate this problem.
In addition to the valid points that you raised, some of my suggestions follow. I believe the State should promote news literacy through state-sponsored projects and initiatives, especially at the educational level. Reliable news outlets should provide high-quality journalism, as well as correct and denounce misinformation and unreliable news sources. Companies should provide products that identify fake news and encourage online accountability. Finally, it is the responsibility of each citizen to inform himself or herself through a variety of news sources, as well as use his or her critical thinking abilities.