by Kathie MM
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and there is such a thing as “fake news.” According to Wikipedia, “Fake news (also known as junk news, pseudo-news, or hoax news[1][2]) is a type of yellow journalism or propaganda that consists of deliberate disinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional news media (print and broadcast) or online social media.”
Unfortunately, the term “fake news” can itself become a propaganda tool and a source of deliberate disinformation, especially if it is repeated often enough. [I imagine you can think of times when you were pretty sure of some fact until someone hounded you with “alternative facts” to the point where you questioned what you knew.]
In Spy the lie, one piece of wisdom that former CIA agents Houston, Floyd, and Carnicero stress is that simple repetition is a psychological tool that can make people more open to believing lies than they otherwise might be. Politicians know this.
In the last few years, a frequently repeated deceptive mantra has been “Fake news!”
Provide scientific information on climate change? “Fake news,” the deceptors insist!
Make a charge of quid pro quo? “Fake news, witch hunt!” reverberates across the airwaves.
Reveal a politician’s sexually predatory behavior? “Fake news!” “Fake news!” “Fake news!”
So, how do you know when a news story is fake, and when an accurate story is being branded “fake news” because it’s distasteful or incriminatory to someone who wants to hide the truth?
Factcheck.org has some suggestions: check out the author of the story; look for supportive information; and consult the experts. We would also recommend that you examine the extent to which accusers make repetitive claims of “fake news” in regard to stories that don’t serve their personal interests. [To gain more understanding of what makes you vulnerable to deception, see here and here.]
Pegean says, “I don’t like to be catty, BUT…if a news story is really fake, why wouldn’t the “tattle tail” just cough up the facts rather than howling “fake news” over and over from the backyard fence?”