How should we deal with fake news? Many western governments are moving towards stricter regulation of tech giants. But others believe that only a more educated public can stop the blight.
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2020: The year in seven fake news stories
How should we deal with fake news? Many western governments are moving towards stricter regulation of tech giants. But others believe that only a more educated public can stop the blight.
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<h2>Reality check</h2>
Have you heard the Covid-19 vaccine rewrites DNA? Don't worry, that is fake news.
Here are stories showing fake news of the year.
First casualty. Iran launched missiles at US troops in Iraq. Iranian state TV announced 80 "American terrorists" had been killed. The USA said it experienced no casualties.
Covid-5G. A big subject for fake news was Covid-19. One fake news story was that Covid-19 was caused by 5G radiation.
Dolphins of Venice. A video was shared from Venice, which, because of lockdown had no tourists but had clean canals where Dolphins swam. The video was from a different region of Italy.
Viral veganism. In India, a false story that no vegan had contracted Covid-19 spread.
Constantine cancelled. The death of George Floyd at the hands of US police kicked off a summer of protest against racism. Iconoclasts tore down statues of historical figures they saw as racist. A rumour spread that York Minster planned to remove a statue of Constantine because of his support for slavery.
Rigged election. A raid on a CIA server in Germany revealed a plot to rig the US election against Donald Trump... so the fake story went. It is one of many casting Trump's loss as fraud.
Trained Triceratops. A video of a dinosaur being unloaded from a truck went viral in Indonesia. It turned out to be a robot.
How should we deal with fake news?
Regulate! Social media companies should be responsible for information on their platforms. They must take action. Algorithms showing people what they want reinforce false beliefs. The lack of objective truth could be dangerous.
Educate! There have always been lies in the media. Allowing the government or companies to decide what is true is a recipe for disaster. What is to stop them censoring critics? We need the ability to discern reliable sources.
No casualties - It was later admitted that 110 soldiers suffered from "traumatic brain injuries" as a result of the attack.
5G - Fifth generation mobile broadband. This is the latest broadband technology for mobile phones, and is estimated to be many times faster than the current 4G.
Iconoclasts - People who want to destroy images. The term is now often used to refer to anyone who rejects established ways of thinking.
Support for slavery - Constantine, who was the Roman Emperor and the founder of the Byzantine empire, like all Roman emperors, permitted the practice of slavery.
2020: The year in seven fake news stories
Glossary
No casualties - It was later admitted that 110 soldiers suffered from "traumatic brain injuries" as a result of the attack.
5G - Fifth generation mobile broadband. This is the latest broadband technology for mobile phones, and is estimated to be many times faster than the current 4G.
Iconoclasts - People who want to destroy images. The term is now often used to refer to anyone who rejects established ways of thinking.
Support for slavery - Constantine, who was the Roman Emperor and the founder of the Byzantine empire, like all Roman emperors, permitted the practice of slavery.