Imagine a society dominated and ruled unquestioningly by
leaders who wield their destructive power for the “sake of their country.” In
horror stories about manipulation and the weakness of man, this theme is not an
uncommon one. However, when schemes of achieving absolute power by manipulating
citizens and political power jump into the realm of reality, this scenario can
quickly lead to terror and rioting. Censored “free speech,” political
manipulation, and destructively unlawful actions are just a few of the
side-effects of a society ruled by the whims of the few.
Within the last few years, the US media has been riddled
with stories of fake news. In the past, fake news was merely a label for news
stories that spread untrue or misrepresented tales to the public with the
intent to deceive readers and spread a biased message. Now, this phenomenon has
found a new host, and has begun to spread like the plague.
In more recent years, a new group of manipulators have
jumped into the fray and elevated fakes news into a more powerful position;
journalists, political leaders, and hateful individuals have taken the reigns
of the fake news caravan with plans of their own – to bend others to their
whims and bend the power of news to their benefit.
“Trump Declares ‘Fake News’ Media the ‘Enemy of the American People’,” published by USA Today cites tweets released by Donald Trump which
claimed that news networks who shared or reported fake news were not only
enemies of Mr. Trump, but they were enemies of the American people. Those who
operate like or model themselves after Mr. Trump do not stick to the definition
of fake news before they deem information to be fake and spread misinformation
or blatant lies as a placeholder.
Similar to Donald Trump, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has jumped
into hubbub and created a news section on its website, which highlights news
articles that the ministry declares are fake.
“With Big Red Stamp, Russia Singles Out What It Calls ‘Fake’ News,” reports that the websites that were supposedly fake news were marked
with a large “FAKE” label and a line that stated that the information the site
was sharing “[did] not correspond to reality.”
This is a great example of the flawed philosophy of, “If I do
not believe it, then it is not true.”
These
are instances that should alert and intrigue those who think critically. Why
does the public accept that something is fake without demanding proof from
multiple, reputable, and trustworthy sources before taking information to
heart?
Now the
question is, “How does one resist fake news?”
Luckily,
there are a number of methods one can employ to avoid misinformation and the
harmful spread of fake news. First, one must approach the subject with an
unbiased approach. Find multiple sources that report news from differing
viewpoints. For instance, visit websites and read articles that are posted by
both conservative and liberal sites. Do not limit yourself to one side of an
argument.
“How to Avoid Falling for Lies and Fake News,” approaches the idea of “[looking] beyond
your bubble, be curious, and consider the opposite,” when evaluating news
stories and crafting an opinion. This is an important step towards eliminating
bias and stopping the spread of fake news.
Second, stop reading news on social
media sites. Share news responsibly and do research on the information that is
being reposted before sharing it with others. “What is Fake News? How to spot it and what you can do to stop it,” published by The Guardian, suggests that readers should, “put in the legwork above, and only post or share stories you
know to be true, from sources you know to be responsible.”
Third,
when faced with claims of fake news in instances where the information being
shared is from reliable sources without the intent to deceive, shut it down. A
fine example of this method can be seen in the video below.
The
video shows CNN moderator and host, Don Lemon, leading a discussion regarding
President Trump’s multiple trips paid for by tax payers, as well as the price
of protection the First Family when they travel alongside the president.
“CNN Host Shuts Down Guest for Making ‘Fake News’ Claim,” looks at this exchange
between Mr. Lemon and his guest. Author Brook Seipel notes Mr. Lemon’s words in
response to accusations that he is participating in the spread of fake news on
his program.
In
response, Mr. Lemon explains that, "Fake news is when you put out a
story to intentionally deceive someone and you know that it is wrong. This
story that we’re doing right now is not to intentionally deceive anyone. We are
simply talking about the cost to keep a president safe.”
However, their discussion continues to deteriorate to the
point of passive aggressive comments and circular arguments. Finally, after
attempting to lead the conversation back to the original topic, the guest
refuses to drop the “fake news” subject, and Mr. Lemon dismisses the
conversation before prematurely ending his segment.
In some cases, this can be seen as an extreme move. However,
Mr. Lemon uses the third tactic, mentioned above, to deal with their pointless
arguing and move on from the potentially harmful assumptions that could be
spurred on by these accusations.
The infinite list of little things one can put into motion
to limit the spread of fake news goes on. The third step mentioned above marks
a turning point.
“The Massacre That Wasn’t, and a Turning Point for ‘Fake News’,” addresses the unrest and confusion surrounding Kellyanne Conway’s
claims of a “Bowling Green Massacre,” stating that “vigilance, and continuing
improvements throughout the news business, remain necessary,” to stomp down on
fake news claims.
Author of this article, Jim Rutenberg, cites the sudden
surge in popularity that George Orwell’s 1989
since the beginning of the US election. This story paints a fascinating story
about the growing influence of fake news on the average American. Looking back
at it now, fake news has become a way to denounce things that the people in
power do not believe in. This misuse of power is being manipulated to discredit
others who do not share the views of powerful leaders, and to censor the voices
of those who are struggling to speak out against enemies who are incredibly
similar to the antagonists or Mr. Orwell’s novel.
But those who evaluate
news and decide for themselves what is trustworthy information have already
started a new revolution. Big Brother may be back and trying to silence us with
cries of fake news, but he has no strength when critical thinking, problem
solving, and group cooperation comes into play.
What you're pointing out here is both timely and frightening. This makes me wonder--what kind of states (as in governments) tend to take these harsh stances against their media? If you look at this historically, what were those types of government and how was the treatment of the media reflected in the quality of life for the people? For example, stifling the media often has the effect of censorship on individuals, as well as harsh fines and often citations and imprisonment for speaking up and out against the media. So without turning this into a "slippery slope" argument, are Trump's or Russia's government actions a signal for concern for the American people (perhaps this is a consideration for your next post?).
ReplyDeleteOne question: how were those websites that MacFarquhar labeled as fake actually labeled? Was he doing the labeling or was he highlighting tell-tale signs (quality site, tone, etc.)?
And since I'm teaching Science Fiction Lit this summer, I guarantee 1984 will probably be on the list!
From what I understand, the websites mentioned in Neil MacFarquhar’s article, “With Big Red Stamp, Russia Singles Out What It Calls ‘Fake’ News,” were labeled by the Russian Foreign Ministry in response to the plethora of articles that have been published that do not align with the morals and values of the Russian government and its citizens.
DeleteMacFarquhar pointed out that Maria V. Zakharova, a speaker for the Russian Foreign Ministry, declined to share how each website was determined to be fake news and eventually labeled with their seal of disapproval.
As an American citizen who is not entirely familiar with the Russian government and its citizens, it is challenging to say how or why these websites were singled out and declared fake. However, one could assume that, like Donald Trump and his administration, the Russians are simply shutting out any media that does not correspond with their message. In a way, the act of censoring the media like they and many other governmental powers do is a form of propaganda.
By calling out rival theories, beliefs, or accounts, those in power are able to discredit others who do not share the same ideals that they represent and live by.
What is the new group that latched on to the label of fake news? I like your question why do individuals accept fake information without proof. This is an epidemic in today's society. I also like the video you used to support your argument.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way you put things into perceptive. Your article made me question society. This blog was engaging. Keep up the good work.
The group that I am referring to in my post includes individuals such as Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Kellyanne Conway. These are a few of the higher-level people who use fake news to their advantage. I understand that this is a very broad claim on my part, but I chose to highlight the people who have received a lot of media coverage and been the subject of many topical stories more recently in the news.
DeleteFollowers and supporters of individuals such as the ones I spoke of above are both the victims and perpetrators of this surge of fake news, and I feel that it important to encourage these people in particular to acknowledge that there are other viewpoints that can be studied and understood.
As a whole, we do not need to believe the same ideas or act exactly the same as those in power, and it is important to be well rounded as a country to avoid an internal weakening of power.