Social Media and the connection to fake news
Fake news is a recent term that has been flooded on our news feed, which is ultimately when unverified and unreliable sources deliver false information to viewers which leads to a misinformed public.
False information dominates the world of social media as it allows almost anyone to upload content and spread anything without a need for fact-checking.
Oftentimes many people come across information online or on social media apps that appear to be true, but are not always verified information.
These stories can be anything from false information on COVID-19 to inaccurate information on the candidates during elections. With the rise of social media, usage comes with the greater spread of Fake News.
Sharing false information can be detrimental for many people. It can lead to making decisions that could be potentially harmful to oneself or health.
Although the term is not new, President Donald Trump’s usage of the term ‘fake news’ since the year 2016 has created a great awakening for the public to understand that not everything written on the internet is true.
Journalists as well can become victims of misinformation. A big part of finding stories in the news industry comes from social media and so many stations want to report the news first.
“The reliance on social media content has increased the chances that newsrooms will spread misinformation.” Said Anthony Adornato in Mobile and Social Media Journalism, SAGE Publications.
“In my nationwide study of news directors, a third of respondents indicated their stations had reported information from social media users that was later found to be false or inaccurate.”
What are news organizations and social media companies doing to combat fake news?
Most recently, many social media platforms have banned former U.S President Donald Trump for inciting a riot and for spreading false information on the 2020 presidential election with the hashtag #StopTheSteal.
News organizations have been trying to raise awareness of misinformation and are warning people to be cautious of the information they find on social media.
Ultimately, there has not been a simple solution for these companies to take to prevent one hundred percent of fake news from being spread.
