
Fake news is information disseminated through traditional news outlets or online social media and consists of purposeful deception or hoaxes. Fake news has resurfaced and grown in popularity because of digital news. As a result, stories and opinions may spread at an unprecedented rate, allowing people all over the world to participate in a near-real-time debate about both serious and inconsequential topics.
Fake News Experience
In early 2020, after the COVID-19 outbreak, there circulated news that the consumption of garlic would cure the illness. I found the recipe on Facebook, which recommended that one eats the garlic and drinks the water to witness improvement and healing overnight. I shared the news with friends as it claimed to have been proven effective by many patients and an old Chinese doctor. However, WHO knocked down the information on the stand that garlic had not been proven to protect individuals from COVID-19.
Combating Fake News
The scourge of disinformation and fake news can be combated through media companies. Through algorithms and crowdsourcing, tech companies could invest in technologies to uncover fake information and identify it for users. In addition, algorithms can help social media businesses automatically detect fake news and hoaxes. Furthermore, Companies should reduce cash benefits for bad content, mainly false information and disinformation, because the fabrication of fake news is frequently motivated by financial gain.
Moreover, educating the public about fake news could help combat it. The government should allocate money to facilitate partnerships between journalists, corporations, educational institutions, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in enhancing news literacy. Educating the public about the fact that not everything they read is accurate and that many digital sites specialize in spreading misleading information aids people in learning how to evaluate news sites and protect themselves against false information.
Counteracting the fake news and disinformation scourge requires that everyone plays a role by promoting strong professional journalistic norms, encouraging investigative journalism, lowering financial incentives for fake news, and enhancing public digital literacy. These initiatives, when taken together, will promote quality conversation while weakening the environment and enhancing disinformation around the world.