Photo Credit to David Kleinschuster
What exactly is the difference between the more-contemporary term 'fake news' and traditional disinformation or misinformation?
'Fake news' as popularized by candidate-turned-president Donald J. Trump, most commonly refers to "fabricated news with no basis in fact but is being presented as factually accurate." Fake news can be found in traditional media sources such as television, print, or radio, or can be on social media or websites dedicated to spreading lies. Fake news is almost always politically-fueled, trying to benefit one person, party, or group at the expense of another.
Disinformation is defined as 'false information which is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a government organization to a rival power or the media." People who spread disinformation do so intentionally, as they are unethically reporting lies about an opposing person, party, or group. 'Fake news' by definition does fall under disinformation, as it deceives public opinion with warped facts and figures.
Where misinformation differs from disinformation is in the impetus or reasoning behind the action. Misinformation is still spreading false news, but the inaccuracies are recorded due to error or misunderstanding. While misinformation is just as bad as disinformation or 'fake news,' it is not done under malice but rather through carelessness and incompetence.
All three aforementioned forms of reporting are all unethical media practices of spreading lies. Any reporter must be 100% sure that their facts, figures, statistics, or other material is absolutely truthful before either broadcasting or publishing. In today's hyper-partisan America however, these malpractices run rampant among mainstream media, as both the left and the right actively report on lies about each other.
Link to this PowerPoint Presentation.
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