Fake news and social media

 8:30 pm

“No, we don’t talk anymore!”

The girl next door told me that she told her that it was me but it wasn’t me. It was her, the one in the black dress.

Everyone goes around, looking at me with those green eyes.

3:00 am

Oh! Wait. She wasn’t even there. She left soon after dark.

What spreads faster than wild fires capable of setting our minds ablaze and without a discernible origin?

If you ask me, I’d say fake news.

Fake news and social media

Being responsible netizens, it is our duty to distinguish fake news.

 

Fake news, in layman language, is just another type of hoax.

It is treacherous information presented as news for personal or professional gains.

A few forms of fake news are – clickbait, propaganda, satire, sloppy journalism, misleading headings, biased news and manipulation. 

The most common misconception regarding fake news is that it is recent. Even though it may seem new, fake news has existed since communication began. The first fake news can be traced back to the 13^th century BC when Ramesses, the Great misrepresented the Battle of Kadesh, thus, misleading his people and corrupting the history forever. Yet, another misconception is that fake news means pompous headings and filtered photos. It is a lot more than that.

Fake news, like gossip, is closely entangled in the communication web.

If fake news has existed since times ancient, why hasn’t it felt the heat until now?

For understanding this, lets understand the process. Like the triangle of fire, the triangle of fake news is also made up of three main components namely- networks, tools and services and motivation. These three components are essential for its existence.

Social media- an intricate part of today’s world, a place where people are hungry for information is criticized for its role in this matter. WHY?

Traditionally, we got news from trusted journals that followed strict code of conduct. Social media, on the other hand follows an entirely different, independent system to publish, share and consume all types of information floating over the internet without any check. It has altered the conventional system for worse. Its system is more prone to two types of news, both very wrong in terms of their purpose and motive.

1)    Misinformation- It is fabricated news where the intent of the creator matters more. Not being deliberately deceiving, this type of fake news is time bounded and less destructive.

2)    Disinformation- News devised to mislead the people on important fronts like polity and economy. It is dangerous as its length and information often go unchecked on social media.

Social media, single-handedly provides the two components of the 'triangle of fake news'. The worst mistake we can make is underestimating the power it holds.

Case in point, the example given was one with minimal destruction at personal level. To view the entire picture, consider the 2016 US elections.

One may ask- how can a simple posting propaganda be this harmful?

There is a huge difference between simple and sharing propaganda. In case of fake news, a colossal network of bots and recipients is manipulated to bring about the desired change. This network containing data from all parts of the words can be easily altered at one’s fingertips.

Social media has started defying its very own purpose. Instead of bringing people together, it is creating rifts between them. It is shaping opinions so firm, accepting any other fact is becoming difficult. Hatred is rising with each second. One simple thing can make people lose their cool. The fight becomes much more significant than the matter at hand. Unacceptance is the last thing we want during such times. Let’s start with ourselves. Instead of aimlessly proving our point, are we ready to analyse and accept?

This question leaves us with a deeper question to think about- the relation of fake news and AI. But that’s for another blog

Let’s focus on the most important part- combating fake news. The first step is identifying fake news.

In case of a personal account, asking questions and doing research proves to be of utmost importance. The algorithms are designed for optimized user retention and engagement, and thus, have a certain limit on how much mis and disinformation they can carry. Ask the following before believing whatever you hear or see:

-       What is the content focusing upon?

-       Are their any emotional or professional claims at stake?

-       Is the information reasonable

-       Is it reputable or just shows to be reputable?

-       Is it valuable?

In case of a professional account, the questions are more audience centric than personal. The circumstances in this case are more serious. Ask the following before reposting or supporting anything:

-       How does the information serve your audience?

-       Will it alienate anyone from the market?

-       Is it relevant?

-       Does it affect the reputation of the audience?

For combating fake news, we have to understand the core working of not just the news but of the platform itself. Social media sells user data to advertising companies who then, add relevant posts to our feeds. By doing this, they have our attention. As an individual, we should be more cognizant about the fact that the information we see is passed through a filter system based on previous data collection. This will help become us more responsible and conscious of inherent bias. As a netizen, we should take and post any information with a positive mindset.

Fake news on social media seems unavoidable. The best way to tackle is by maintaining a sound curiosity for anything and everything.

Image(s) Source: Google  

Harshini Kolte
-Dayatva Member