Social media has constructed a new generation of minds that work differently from anything we have seen before. Information overload leads to false news being passed as real, and introduces skepticism as a new roadblock. Journalists need to convey their message somehow, and finding a way to work around the damage that’s been done is only the beginning.
Now, not all news is deemed “fake” upon publication. The tweet above proves that a story came out, and then was twisted and revised to suit the presentation another organization wanted. In this scenario, it was real news turned fake.
In a world where people rely heavily on social media to tell them what’s “normal”, there’s no doubt that the same applies when it comes to news or opinions. Above, @Yemihazan blames Twitter for encouraging this type of behavior. Below, @LaurenMohamed and @yogirlnaf give an inside perspective to the impact social media can have.
It’s ironic that the audience journalists speak to know there is something wrong, but there isn’t enough of an effort on either side to mend it.
HBO uses the word “garbage” to describe fake news/information. In the first interview, they touch upon information overload. “There’s just so much out there right now, I don’t even think people realize how much their brain has to handle.”
If “Here in the U.S, Americans are creating fake accounts and pages on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites to further divide our country and spread false information,” doesn’t concern you, then there needs to be more education on the topic. The video above tells that actions such as these are intentional, and further prove that you can’t believe everything you see on the internet. This is what makes a journalist’s job that much more difficult.
President Donald Trump has made it no secret that fake news outlets exist. Granted, anything that goes against someone’s beliefs may be considered fake in their eyes. However, if somebody can stand in front of a panel of news outlets and point out the ones with the wrong intentions, then the problem is relevant. Below is an article defining different kinds of fake news, how to spot it, and what to do about it.
In conclusion, we are surrounded by fake news everyday, and nobody has the time of day to sort through all of it. Information overload plays a big role in the spread of misinformation, and there really isn’t a clear solution to that problem; there are millions of people posting and curating content on a daily basis. As journalists, there is a new detour in the road to the truth, and it’s a long road ahead of educating and informing as many people as possible to avoid fake news.
