The term “fake news” is used frequently in today’s media environment. Define the term and discuss some of the factors that led to it becoming a major issue.

What will be an ideal response?

Fake news refers to inaccurate stories and outright lies spread with the intention of drawing readers’ attention and influencing their opinions. Although the phenomenon of fake news is not new, there are several factors that have led to it becoming a major issue for today’s journalists. First, the proliferation of news sources and “infotainment” websites has left readers more confused than ever over which sources to trust, leaving them susceptible to headlines that confirm their worldview even if the premise of the story is false. Click-driven advertising also makes publishers more likely to publish stories that prioritize entertainment and interest elements like conflict, oddity, or immediacy over accuracy. The rise of social media has made it incredibly easy for publishers to circulate fake news stories to a broad audience, particularly when they take advantage of fake social media accounts or online “bots” that can drastically increase the number of “likes” or “retweets” that a story receives.