Fake news

Fake news is a type of hoax or deliberate spread of misinformation (false information), be it via the traditional print or broadcasting news media or via Internet-based social media.

https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/audio.wnyc.org/otm/otm041417pod.mp3?siteplayer=true&dl=1#t=33:20 Fake crack cocaine news by George Bush: On the Media - npr.org

To qualify as fake news, a story has to be written and published with the intent to mislead in order to gain financially or politically. As such, intentionally misleading and deceptive fake news is different from obviously satirical or parody articles or papers such as The Onion.

Fake news often employs eye-catching headlines or entirely fabricated news stories in order to increase readership and, in the case of internet-based stories, online sharing and Internet click revenue.

In the latter case, profit is made in a similar fashion to sensational online Clickbait headlines and relies on advertising revenue generated, regardless of the veracity of the published stories - wikipedia

Easy access to online ad revenue, increased political polarization between the left and right and the ubiquity and popularity of online social media, primarily the Facebook newsfeed, have all been implicated in the spread of fake news.

Anonymously-hosted fake news websites lacking known publishers have also been implicated, because they make it difficult to prosecute sources of fake news for libel or slander.

The relevance of fake news has experienced greater growth in a post-truth reality. In response, researchers have explored the development of a psychological "vaccine" to help people to detect a fake news.

# Definition

Fake news' is a neologism used to refer to non-satirical news stories, which have originated online (on social media or fake news websites) or in the traditional news media, have no basis in fact, but are presented as and believed to be factually accurate - stanford.edu

stories that are provably false, have enormous traction in the culture, and are consumed by millions of people.
- Michael Radutzky, producer of CBS 60 Minutes

What we are talking about are stories that are fabricated out of thin air. By most measures, deliberately, and by any definition, that’s a lie.
Guy Campanile - cbsnews.com

The intention and purpose behind fake news is important. What appears to be fake news may in fact be, which uses exaggeration and introduces non-factual elements, and is intended to amuse or make a point, rather than to deceive. Propaganda can also be fake news.

Claire Wardle of First Draft News identifies seven types of fake news: - satire or parody - false connection - misleading content - false content - imposter content - manipulated content - fabricated content

# Satire or parody No intention to cause harm but has potential to fool.

# False connection When headlines, visuals of captions don't support the content"

# Misleading content Misleading use of information to frame an issue (Spin (public relations) or individual".

# False content When genuine content is shared with false contextual information".

# Imposter content When genuine sources are "impersonated" with false, made-up sources.

# Manipulated content When genuine information or imagery is manipulated to deceive", as with a"doctored" photo.

# Fabricated content New content is 100% false, designed to deceive and do harm.