Proliferation Of Fake News On Social Media
Social media users are key actors in the spreading of misleading or incorrect information and fake and misinformation is the number one risk facing society over the next two years, according to the World Economic Forum.
Cybercrime experts say children and teenagers are increasingly being targeted by predators generating deepfake images. Indeed, Australia's eSafety Commissioner says 90 per cent of deepfakes are estimated to be explicit.
Misinformation can take many different forms like conspiracy theories, fake news, junk science, or rumours amongst others. However, most of the existing research does not account for these differences and, with important elections due in the US, UK and many other nations this year, an onslaught of political misinformation can be expected.
Some of this fake material is distributed through paid advertising on social media, like the AI generated “deep fake” videos that are widely shared online. Inevitably some of that news is false.
Meaning Well But Sharing False Information
Only a minority of people share false information but, given the vast scale of social media platforms, even that can lead to fake stories spreading like wildfire. This makes it harder for people to get news they can trust and leads people to believe things that simply aren’t true.
Research has revealed that some people shared fake stories because they thought they were funny (one said because they thought it was “ludicrous”, for example). Others shared the misinformation specifically to highlight that it was false. Others minimised the harm they were doing by suggesting it wasn’t actually that serious if they shared fake news.
The WEF says that its findings reveal that some people behave in an antisocial way when it comes to fake news, deliberately sharing false information to achieve some personal objective, even if it means attacking other people or trying to manipulate them.
Sharing false stories in this way can be used, for example, to affect people’s political views, whether by supporting a smear campaign against a politician or by boosting a politician’s clout. People driven by such reasons seem not to be bothered by whether the news they are sharing is true or false, and may even view sharing news as a means of manipulation. At the very least, these people are being uncaring about the harmful effects of their actions.
In sharp contrast to these, some people share political news, whether true or false, with the best intentions. They seem to see sharing fake news as a way to make the world better.
“Good” reasons for sharing can reflect a desire to protect others (for example, by alerting them to potential dangers), to encourage people to “do the right thing”, or even to become socially or politically engaged. Other people may use news sharing as a force for good by pointing out that a particular story is false. Ironically though, that means the false story may spread even further.
Dealing With Fake News
People can have strong reactions when they see a friend or family member sharing material they know is untrue. This is not a big surprise because misinformation tends to rely on negative sentiment and appeals to our morals. It is the stories that make us emotional (for example by scaring us) that go viral in the first place.
However, the next time you see someone sharing a story you know to be false, and you think about giving them a piece of your mind or blocking them, remember that they may be unaware that they were doing harm and may even have been trying to do good. It may be that they were thinking only about themselves, but it may also be they have shared that story thinking that it benefits others.
Sharing false stories, even when done with the best intentions, may have implications that go beyond people’s personal goals for sharing. When people expose others to misinformation in order to debunk it, they are potentially risking unintended political consequences such as increasing cynical perceptions towards election campaigns and politicians.
One way to reduce this risk and support the battle against misinformation is to follow the World Health Organisation’s guide on how to report false stories, for example by marking them as false on the platform.
WEForum | ABC | BBC | Sage Journals | Nature | The Conversation |
Image: AzamKamolov
You Might Also Read:
Might AI Influence Big Elections In 2024?:
DIRECTORY OF SUPPLIERS - Deepfake & Disinformation Detection:
___________________________________________________________________________________________
If you like this website and use the comprehensive 6,500-plus service supplier Directory, you can get unrestricted access, including the exclusive in-depth Directors Report series, by signing up for a Premium Subscription.
- Individual £5 per month or £50 per year. Sign Up
- Multi-User, Corporate & Library Accounts Available on Request
- Inquiries: Contact Cyber Security Intelligence
Cyber Security Intelligence: Captured Organised & Accessible
