We live in a paradoxical golden age of journalism where anyone can be a writer and/or publisher, and people have access to information literally at their fingertips. We also live in an age where ill-intentioned individuals can parade as journalists and spread falsehoods far and wide. Sometimes, the ripple effect can lead to near-tragic events (see #pizzagate).
So how did “fake news” gain such traction, and what should be done about it, if anything? The fake news phenomenon gained traction in the past few months, as stories like “Pope Francis Shocks World, Endorses Donald Trump for President, Releases Statement,” and “Donald Trump Protestor Speaks Out: ‘I Was Paid $3,500 to Protest Trump’s Rally” were widely disseminated on social media — a wholly unique vector for spreading information to a mass audience.........Read More....
No comments:
Post a Comment